(TRIGGER ALERT, UPDATED) #Amazonfail Twitstorm: Kindle Store Selling Self-Published Pedophilia How-To

SJ read it and confirmed it's about as vile as you'd expect...like recommending how to workaround the fact that condoms don't fit boys under 13 and other choice tidbits.

Elisa Camahort Page
BlogHer
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My BlogHer profile truly shows you everything I do online...Check it out!!

Did anyone review the actual book before Amazon took it down? This is a touchy subject, obviously, and given the nature of the comments posted by the author, I cannot imagine the book redeems itself, but before demanding something be removed or banned, I think due diligence calls for someone to review it.

AV Flox is the editor of Sex and the 405 ( http://sexandthe405.com ) -- what your newspaper would look like if it had a sex section.

yea, but too bad there was also already a similar incident with pedophile books back in 2002...and guess what they still sell those paper books too. Even though they have taken down the e-book, I cannot bring myself to shop with them anymore because they still sell those other titles. I have them listed in my blog post from the other day http://mamabennie.blogspot.com/2010/11/amazon-and-...

I just searched for it on Amazon. It's not available.

http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com

Several of you have commented that they 'just can't believe Amazon would do this' and words to that effect.

But search Amazon for authors Strike, Otto Snow, Uncle Fester. Get Date Rape, Meth Lab resources and murder via roadside bomb and Sarin Gas.

Ending these sales is not censorship or a denial of free speech. The author is free to write and sell whatever he wishes within the limits of free speech, and there are and always have been limits. A corporation's decision to sell or not sell a product is just that. Johnson & Johnson is not cramping the second amendment by not selling AK47's.

They are making a corporate decision about what they want to make money from. Amazon is not the institution charged with defending free speech. It is a giant for-profit corporation which has decided to make money by facilitating the spread of evil actions, including rape and murder.

Report from Today Show, 11/11/10
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/40127924...

The same is true of Barnes and Noble and to a lesser extent Borders.

the fact that this broke right after a huge pedophilia round up that this might, just might, be an easy way for the government to identify people who may be pedophiles or consider it?

Retro-Food.com

Probably a top seller in my state of Missouri.

Most likely not. Sigh. And it even promotes accessibility, too.

I need to start writing on juicier topics...

But you have to give us something to work with. Is there some code that developers find really objectionable? We could work with that.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Though it's uncertain if Amazon removed it or the author.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Disgraceful.!! I cant believe Amazon honestly thinks its ok to allow this to be published.
Unfortunately I doubt that a few thousand people boycotting Amazon will make much difference, but it shouldnt even come to that, Amazon should automatically remove this sickening material.

You can also buy this gem from Amazon:

Secrets of Methamphetamine Manufacture: Including Recipes for Mda, Ecstasy, and Other Psychedelic Amphetamines

Guess it depends what triggers the public's ire...

Marianne at Mealmixer ( http://www.mealmixer.com )

PS When I publish my first self-published work--on HTML5, unfortunately, which is such a safe and even banal topic--will you all promise to come out and demand its removal from Amazon?

I've heard that such actions do wonders for the sales.

And now the book seems to be down, according to all the reports.

Yet the Anarchist's Cookbook remains, which provides instructions in how to build bombs and advocates violent overthrow of the government.

Someday we'll re-learn the ability to be thoughtful in our responses--to determine what is a right and consistent course, and stay with it.

For now, I guess we'll just have to be the little fishies pushed about by the ebb and flow of whatever is hot on Twitter on the moment.

Websites out there that provide instructions. I'm not going to search for them or spend my money on them.

Amazon is not required to removed the book (though it appears that they have). It's a choice for them just the same way it's a choice for me to spend my money there.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Thank you, KB. I am a survivor and dealt with (most of) my demons a lifetime ago. But it still doesn't make me any less angry about the current topic.

I thought that this post from TechCrunch was rather interesting.

I must say, I think I agree with the author that in this case, the fact that it is a "how to" and not fiction, is not that relevant.

I'm concerned about the precedent. Public outrage = lets just take the book away.

This time round it happens to be a book I personally dont believe should exist, but that is not always going to be the case.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/10/amazon-banning-on... ( http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/10/amazon-banning-on... )

To quote from the article:
" Are we, as intelligent adults, really suggesting that other less intelligent adults who have until now never so much as considered the idea of molesting a child and going to download a copy of ‘the Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover’s Code of Conduct’ and think to themselves “by golly, this pedophile stuff sounds like fun – I think I’ll give it a try?”. Surely not. If we’re concerned that a book glamourising man-child love is going to bring down the downfall of society then we’d better demand the removal of Lolita too. At least Nabokov could spell.

Maybe, then, those supporting the ban are concerned that the book might act as a dummies’ guide for the enthusiastic non-practicing pedophile: men who are already grotesque sexual devients but haven’t yet figured out the practicalities of turning thought into action. If that’s the concern, then I fear that particular ship has sailed. I admit I haven’t looked – no-one needs that on their Google search history – but I’m pretty sure there’s enough of that kind of information available on the web that doesn’t require a potential child rapist to plunk down his credit card information and thus leave a paper trail back to his lair."

I totally hear you, Liz and you make excellent points. However, I disagree that making the edge cases commercially available is necessary to allowing free speech to flourish.

While I would vigorously defend anybody's right to stand on a soapbox and shout their ideas to the public, no matter how heinous and without government interference, I don't believe any business has any obligation whatsoever to build and maintain that soapbox.

If this author wants to photocopy a pamphlet using equipment and materials he owns and hand them out he could still disseminate his ideas without the assistance of any retailer or other service. I fully support consumers voting their values with their wallets.

I also think there is a legitimate question as to the legality of this book. Whether or not that should be the case is also, I believe, a legitimate question worthy of debate about the free exercise of speech.

BlogHer Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/maria-niles )
PopConsumer ( http://consumerpop.typepad.com/popconsumer )

So porn featuring and for consenting adults is bad, how-to-guide for pedophiles good?

And yes, of course, they're not saying it's "good", but come on. Surely, SURELY, the latter is more objectionable to the entirety of their consumer base than the former?

Elisa Camahort Page
BlogHer
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My BlogHer profile truly shows you everything I do online...Check it out!!

It's cracked the top 100 in ebook sales today ( http://gawker.com/5686953/internet-outrage-gives-a... ).

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

I completely understand what you mean about there being a lot of noise and little action. I can't speak for everyone that has tweeted or posted about this but when I say they aren't getting my money, I mean it -- for whatever that's worth. If they put out a statement that's not just the standard email they are sending everyone I'll reconsider it based on that information.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

And no, I would not support a ban of Lolita. To me to compare a work of fiction that has pedophilia elements to a non-fiction how to guide on how to sexually assault children is comparing apples and oranges. I get where you are coming from though.

The thing is Amazon does censor things. For example, they won't sell porn. Porn is legal. It feels to me like they really aren't as for free speech and as anti-censorship as they want to us believe they are.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Amazon made a stupid choice to sell a book that talks about and condones child rape. Read this (warning: it is a disturbing excerpt from the book): http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/10/amazon-defends-pe...

This is not a book of fiction. It is a book about how to rape defenseless children, which will scar them for life. What if Amazon sold a book called "How to rape a woman and get away with it"? Would we be having the same conversation?

I am a passionate defender of freedom of speech, thought and creativity. I don't take the right of the individual lightly.

But I will not, cannot support a virtual text book that teaches techniques and evasion to assault children.

If this man wrote an essay about his desires and perspective in this society he'd have that right. I'd hate it to the core of my being but he would have that right.

This man did not do that. He is declaring the right to sexualized children for his pleasure, sharing techniques to ensnare and entrap children and CYA activities for other pedophiles.

We have said in this society that people under the age of 18 cannot give their consent to business, legal or sexual activities. We as a people believe that children are not developmental or physically ready to have that kind of responsibility or experiences.

So maybe the answer is that it is not a censorship issue but a criminal issue that I hope will be immediately investigated.

In the name of the millions of sexually assaulted, abused and exploited children I rebuke this book.

Gena Haskett is a BlogHer Contributing Editor. My Blogs: Out On The Stoop ( http://outonthestoop.blogspot.com ) and Create Video Notebook ( http://createvideonotebook.blogspot.com )

So, would those of you boycotting also boycott people who sell and publish Lolita? Do you think it's okay because it's fiction? What if this guy just framed the entire book as fiction, but it contained the exact same information in letters written from one character to another?

I think this book and Lolita are both nasty, just to be clear, but I think that the edge cases of tolerable have to be permitted for free speech and diversity to flourish.

-----------------
Liz Henry
Composite: Tech & Poetics ( http://bookmaniac.com/ )
Badgermama ( http://badgermama.com )

I agree with shelleyp; I won't be boycotting Amazon over this. Too many books I would want to read (and write) would be objectionable to a large part of the market. So I appreciate their stance.

I have a lot of questions from thinking this over. I wonder what Amazon's position will be when law enforcement comes asking who's bought the book? So far, not very many ( http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/amazon/author-... ) and perhaps that was SJ ( http://iasshole.org/?p=2138 ) who got it in order to review it.

-----------------
Liz Henry
Composite: Tech & Poetics ( http://bookmaniac.com/ )
Badgermama ( http://badgermama.com )

The book is disturbing, as is Amazon's weak-assed response, but I do hope that we see a report that Amazon holiday sales take a huge dive this season. I'm saying that because I often fear with Twitter outrage that people all scream boycott today and then forget it two weeks later and purchase from Amazon. If people keep to this outrage and really vote with their wallet, Amazon will get a huge message. If not, it becomes more of a statement about Twitter -- that people scream a lot, but the social action is limited to screaming until the business does what the people are screaming for them to do. I'd rather see Twitter get quiet -- people have made the statement -- and then see people stick to their promise to boycott. I'd love to see this story revisited in January and see if Amazon reports low sales.

Which is to say that I think some people say boycott and mean boycott and stick to a boycott. And I think others retweet something that upsets them in the moment, but forget it when the next outrage comes along if the action isn't taken by the business within 24 hours. And I don't think it's just Twitter. I think this is human nature. But Twitter is awfully loud.

Sorry to be cranky (and I'm just as disgusted by the book as the next person), but I think I have Twitter Social Action overload. I am asked to get angry on a daily basis, and I'm frankly getting a little tired of people telling me to be outraged continuously. I'm getting numb to outrage -- how sad is that?

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

I really, really am.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

At least in the sense that they are sending out the same basic email to people who have reported it. (I still have not received mine...)

I haven't seen a reply yet that addresses their content guidelines.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

go through years of hell at the hands of a pedophile just for some a**hole to tell him and others how to do it "better." Amazon giving them free range to do so is beyond despicable. I spend the majority of my Christmas dollars at Amazon, but this year and in the future I'll be going elsewhere.

I think a lot of us understand how hard it is to police everything that pours through the doors of a self-publishing giant like Amazon Kindle. However, once their attention has been called to the problem, which it clearly has, it needs a response.

If it was a novel with an instance of pedophilia, a memoir of an incarcerated pedophiliac, a self-help book for abused kids or adults -- free speech would apply, I think. As you said, this is a how-to. It should fall under "illegal" the same way hate speech does.

Can't wait to hear their response.

Rita Arens authors Surrender Dorothy and is the editor of Sleep is for the Weak. She is BlogHer's assignment and syndication editor.

I just removed my Amazon wish list widget and Kindle promo from my blog. I too, cannot support them until this issue is resolved. Thanks for the post!

~Debra
http://www.jeansblogs.com

Because I have NOT received a response from Amazon yet to my report.

It's almost word for word the same as the response that appeared on the forum so it's clearly a standard response to anything that's reported for content.

I am amused that they say that they won't comment on it further and then ask if they solved your problem. lol What if the answer is no?

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Private booksellers already do determine what they shelve and don't. Many places won't shelve GLBT literate, for example. I can choose not to shop at those store (and shop at ones that do shelve it) the same way I can choose not to shop at Amazon. It's all about personal choice.

As to who decides what is offensive? Ah that's always a tough one isn't it? Ultimately it's Amazon's decision in this case. They can choose to sell, or not sell, whatever they want and the rest of will choose what to do with our dollars.

I really do want to hear what they have to say about the book in regards to their content guidelines though.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

I didn't think of those either. Hmmm I should probably look at moving my wish list somewhere else. Thanks for the reminder!

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

I hadn't even thought of that. I don't have them so never even considered them. I know that would be a hard decision for many people.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Me too.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

I'm really interested in what they have to say. I have reported the book but haven't received an email from them.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

I emailed Amazon as soon as I hear about this and here was their response to my shock and horror. Pretty much verbatim to what you found in the forum:

Hello,

As a retailer, our goal is to provide customers with the broadest selection possible so they can find, discover, and buy any item they might be seeking. That selection includes some items which many people may find objectionable. Therefore, the items offered on our website represent a wide spectrum of opinions on a variety of topics.

Let me assure you that Amazon.com does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts; we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions.

Amazon.com believes it is censorship not to sell certain titles because we believe their message is objectionable. Therefore, we'll continue to make controversial works available in the United States and everywhere else, except where they're prohibited by law. We also allow readers, authors, and publishers to express their views freely about these titles and other products we offer on our website. However, Amazon.com doesn't endorse opinions expressed by individual authors, musical artists, or filmmakers.

We value all feedback from our customers, and I thank you again for taking the time to send us your comments about this issue. Although we won't be able to comment further on this topic, we hope you'll allow us to continue to serve you.

Thank you for your recent inquiry. Did I solve your problem?

Diana Johnson

http://DianasaurDishes.com ( http://dianasaurdishes.com/ )

@DiansaurDishes

The whole thing gets complex and confusing when we break it down into all the things we do and don't support, doesn't it?

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

I disagree with Amazon's statement about this being censorship--a private bookseller can choose the books it sells.

However I can understand some of its reasoning--people don't have to buy the book, or promote it in any way. And if people can pressure to have a book like this taken down, what about other controversial titles? Who determines when a topic is too offensive, or too dangerous, or too harmful?

I think Amazon should put a disclaimer and warning in the book section, but other than that, let the market kill the book. And hopefully it will fall back into obscurity very quickly.

This issue really made me think--just this morning I was outraged that a group of local high school parents are trying to pull Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult from the curriculum--it's being used to teach about bullying and school violence.

I really hope Amazon cuts it from their site. I'm giving them a day to figure this out before I pull the plug on 'em.

Here are my more detailed thoughts. ( http://bit.ly/92l289 )

~Margaret

Just Margaret ( http://maurhoffbarney.blogspot.com )

The longer a company goes without making a statement the louder people get. Cooks Source definitely proved that.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Is fun. I do it often. :)

I'm very sorry that happened to your sister/friend. It shouldn't happen to any child. I am happy that the person who did it to her is behind bars I'm glad that she's found some peace in motherhood.

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

Now that my Devil's Advocate is done with, yeah, it makes me want to vomit. My best-friend/adopted sister's father is in prison for life for the crimes he comitted against her from the time she was 2-5 years old. It has been a long and hard emotional recovery for her which her unexpected first pregnancy 5 years ago finally saved her from. She had thought even being a mother was taken away from her from all of the damage. Having a child to protect and love of her own was her 2nd chance at life and the only thing that allowed her to let go of the past.

http://rosythoughts.com

Perhaps it is hypocritical of me. I'm using the author's own words for how he describes the book, and his own comments on the post to judge the comments.

Free speech does not allow one to say anything and everything that they want. For example, you can be charge with a crime for uttering death threats. Ditto hate speech. Free speech (or free writing I suppose) does not protect you from being charged with libel either. Now, 'm not saying that what this guy did was illegal or that it's illegal to sell it, I'm just using these as examples to the limits to free speech.

Honestly, if not wanting to shop at a store that sells what appears to be a how-to guide on how to sexually assault children makes me a hypocrite than I'm fine with it. And I'm fine with your thinking that I am a hypocrite.

And I'd never attack you. At BlogHer we support and encourage civil disagreement. :)

Contributing Editor Karen Ballum also blogs at Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.ca ) and Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.ca ).

I absolutely think it's disgusting and in no way support Pedophilia but you said yourself you aren't reading it and have no intention to, none of us do I'm guessing. But you defend your statement saying the problem is that it appears to be a how-to guide.

The Internet has information on how to do everything and Amazon certainly seems to be at odds with it's own moral guidelines but, as a writer, I value freedom of speech above all. The author's comments are distastefully brilliant. He is getting far more recognition and publicity from this than he probably ever dreamed of. Controversy sells and the more people that hear about it, the better the odds that one of those people will add it to their shopping cart and encourage him more.

Go ahead, attack the crap out of me for this. But it's hypocritical to judge it without actually knowing what's inside of it. My cousin was failed in her HS English class for refusing to read The Da Vinci Code. To her it was just as offensive as Pedophilia yet it made tons of money and is now REQUIRED reading in many places (on a personal note the book and movie put me to sleep, but I did my research before bashing them).

http://rosythoughts.com

I was responding to the reference in the post to bloggers calling for boycotts. Not to any suggestion of your own.

I'd imagine at this point the "statement" that people are attributing to Amazon came from some low level person who has a form response every time someone tries to get Harry Potter taken down for promoting witchcraft.

I really find it hard to believe that this one will stay up when People In Power get wind of it.

But these last few hours are like years in internet time. They'd better act soon because the natives are getting restless.

Making millions at Mom-101 ( http://mom-101.com )

I just removed my Amazon wish list widget off my blog. Cannot support them until they resolve this. Thanks for the post!

Lorie

blogging at

www.riceandbeansandotherfinethings.com ( http://www.riceandbeansandotherfinethings.com )

AND I *am* boycotting them for now (maybe longer if the book continues to stay up). I haven't received a personal response from Amazon yet, but I refuse to support, market, and buy products from those who won't listen to their audience.

By the author's own admission, this is a guide, a HOW TO, for pedophiles and children. No way I'm supporting that and Amazon while they're selling this book.

Amazon: moms and dads want this book removed ( http://www.writrams.com/2010/11/10/amazon-moms-and... )

Jacqueline Wilson (aka: WritRams) is a writer, blogger, educator, mother and wife. You can find her on her Writer Ramblings blog at www.WritRams.com ( http://www.writrams.com ) writing about a little of everything...maybe even you.