Is this Censorship?

[croak]

A self-published guide giving advice to paedophiles that was on sale through online retailer Amazon is stirring up controversy, with some threatening to boycott the website.

The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover's Code of Conduct has now been removed from sale.

But Amazon had defended the listing, saying it did not promote criminal acts but also avoided censorship.

Amazon allows authors to submit their own books and shares revenue with them.

Before authors are able to sell a work on the site, they are asked to read a set of guidelines, which bans offensive materials.

But Amazon does not specifically state on its website what material it deems offensive, instead saying "probably what you would expect".

Continue reading the main story

Do you think Amazon was in the right when they defended the listing, or were they supporting the publication of objectionable materials and supporting criminal acts? Or is it somewhere in between?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I think that Amazon is right. They can buy and sell whatever they want.

But there are plenty of classical (Greek and Roman) works that they sell which glorify pedophilia.

 

[linwood]

I don`t know what you mean by "In the right" I mean..they supported the books right to be there and yet removed it from their listings.

Kinda a mixed message.

I have no problem with the book or..any book for that matter.

 

[croak]

I don`t know what you mean by "In the right" I mean..they supported the books right to be there and yet removed it from their listings.

Kinda a mixed message.

I have no problem with the book or..any book for that matter.

I said "was in the right", not "is in the right". I meant before they removed it from their listings. I'll edit it to make it clearer.

 

[HonestJoe]

Amazon's only interest is going to be public image as it affects their bottom line. They're trying to decide whether the people who would object to any censorship on principal outweighs those who would object to the book about paedophilia being available. It appears that they leaned towards the former at first but, when the situation gained a little more publicity, it shifted to the latter.

I think it is ultimately up to them whether they sell something as long as it's within the law (and I'd expect that to be a question in some jurisdictions here, though probably not the USA). Morally I think they would be perfectly justified in refusing to sell it and if were in their shoes, I think I would have done so from the outset.

I wouldn't consider it censorship as such since they're not preventing the material being distributed elsewhere. Anyway, would forcing them to sell something they didn't want to be any better?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Amazon's only interest is going to be public image as it affects their bottom line.

That book probably isn't going to be a good investment for Amazon anyway - I mean, who is going to buy that smut other than preists and prisoners?

 

[Skwim]

Amazon allows authors to submit their own books and shares revenue with them.

Before authors are able to sell a work on the site, they are asked to read a set of guidelines, which bans offensive materials.

That's odd, because I've had a book on Amazon for several years now and was never asked to do a thing; although this may have been because it came from a major publisher.

As for the morality of putting The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure up for sale, I would never offer anything that aided or abetted a criminal activity.

 

[ChristineES]

When I heard this on the news this morning, I was split. It would be censorship but at the same time, I am totally against pedophilia in any form. But the question I really want to ask, since I refuse to even look at the book, is there any child pornography in it? If there is, then it is illegal.

 

[croak]

When I heard this on the news this morning, I was split. It would be censorship but at the same time, I am totally against pedophilia in any form. But the question I really want to ask, since I refuse to even look at the book, is there any child pornography in it? If there is, then it is illegal.

Well, the article states that "the author, listed as Philip R Greaves II, argues that paedophiles are misunderstood and purports to offer advice to help them abide by the law." I don't think the author would purposefully put something in that would make the book undeniably illegal. Not to mention that Amazon would not have accepted it in the first place, or they would have been held liable.

 

[no-body]

As for the morality of putting The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure up for sale, I would never offer anything that aided or abetted a criminal activity.

Offering information isn't condoning or condemning anything though. From a cursory glance on amazon you can even buy the anarchist cookbook, a book that will kill you if you try to follow any of the bomb "recipes" in it.

 

[gnomon]

Regardless of whether or not Amazon is "in the right" it's not censorship. Amazon is not considered a controlling body in regards to print media.

 

[Skwim]

Offering information isn't condoning or condemning anything though. From a cursory glance on amazon you can even buy the anarchist cookbook, a book that will kill you if you try to follow any of the bomb "recipes" in it.

And I didn't say it was condoning or condemning.

Regardless of whether or not Amazon is "in the right" it's not censorship. Amazon is not considered a controlling body in regards to print media.

Quite right.

 

[Penumbra]

I'm a bit confused as to the content of the book. The link didn't help much.

I think a book outlining coping strategies for pedophilia would be acceptable, even useful for those that experience such morbid thoughts.

But a book that encourages any sort of action towards children is really messed up and I think Amazon would do well to avoid it. Books promoting blatantly illegal and virtually universally-wrong behavior can reasonably be avoided by commercial sites.

I don't know the content of the book so I don't know what, exactly, Amazon should do about it.

 

[croak]

Information on the book: Amazon Sells Guide To Pedophilia
Interview with the author: Author Of Pedophile Book Says He Has Sold One Copy Of Creepy Title | The Smoking Gun

He's from Colorado, apparently. Not anyone's neighbour, I hope.

 

[linwood]

Also, the book sold 101,000% better between the time it was outed and the time Amazon pulled it.

That`s motivation right there..

Amazon Pedophilia Guide Gets 101,000-Percent Sales Boost (Updated)

 

[croak]

Also, the book sold 101,000% better between the time it was outed and the time Amazon pulled it.

That`s motivation right there..

Amazon Pedophilia Guide Gets 101,000-Percent Sales Boost (Updated)

Amazon seems to have taken their time pulling it as well. No rush, I guess.

 

[Father Heathen]

It's not censorship when a business decides for itself what products to provide customers.

 

[Midnight Pete]

Do you think Amazon was in the right when they defended the listing, or were they supporting the publication of objectionable materials and supporting criminal acts? Or is it somewhere in between?

What if that book was purchased by a pedophile and used to help him seduce and molest children?

There is no grey area on this one, and Amazon was boneheadedly wrong to defend such an objectionable title. IMO, all extant copies of this book should not only be pulled from all shelves but destroyed, as well. Burned. And I don't care who would whine about it.

It would be the same deal with a book on how to build bombs out of everyday materials.

 

[Sunstone]

If you start censoring things, you usually end up censoring things you don't want censored.

 

[freethinker44]

I am against censorship in any form, regardless of how distasteful it may be.

In my opinion, limiting knowledge is the greatest crime.