don't rain on my parade

[twincityhacker]

Today I heard that Amazon was removing the rankings from GLBTQ books. Individuals have written to the company asking about it, and their reply was "In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude "adult" material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature." AKA "We take down rankings on books that people complain about."

For an example:

John Barrowman's autobiography Anything Goes, Paperback Edition has a ranking
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anything-Goes-Autobiography-John-Barrowman/dp/1843173336/ref=pd_sim_m_h__3



But the hardcover edition Doesn't.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anything-Goes-John-Barrowman-Carole/dp/1843172895/ref=ed_oe_h



To follow the saga:
The Complaint and Reply http://markprobst.livejournal.com/15293.html
Books that have had rankings removed http://community.livejournal.com/meta_writer/11992.html

Comments

[teresadivicenzo.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting that. My mind's been a little preoccupied lately so missed this. I'm linking to those posts externally - the mind really boggles on this one.

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

I heard about this roughly... an hour and a half ago? I'm scattered six ways to Sunday so there's not enough brain clumped together to work up a good froth.

[teresadivicenzo.livejournal.com]

I'm the same - I'm in a lousy place.

But I have posted it in other places, so maybe people there will work up a froth on my behalf until I'm back in the land of the fully functioning.

[beccaelizabeth]

that is indeed peculiar
how can a bestseller not have a sales rank?
how can it makes sense for Amazon??

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

Amazon thinks they'll lose more business if they don't cater to the haters than if they stick up for homosexuals or transsexuals. Hopefully this is a case of short-lived hysteria.