Amazon stops ranking gay books: Glitch or bias?
[mks_pullquote align=”left” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#000000″ txt_color=”#ffffff”]”There was a glitch with our sales rank feature that is in the process of being fixed. We’re working to correct the problem as quickly as possible.”[/mks_pullquote]
Patty Smith, Amazon.com’s Director of Corporate Communications, responding to the LA Times on a controversy that had developed over the missing “rank” of a number of gay-themed books. Ranking at the world’s largest internet sales site can help to get books noticed and therefore increase sales. A few of the affected books include ”Becoming a Man,” ”Orlando,” ”Heather Has Two Mommies,” and ”The Mayor of Castro Street.” Not all gay-themed books were affected, and Amazon says they’re working to address the issue. (LA Times)
”In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude ‘adult’ material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists.”
Ashlyn D, a sales respresentative quoted by blogger Mark Probst, who inquired about the missing rankings of some GLBT books at Amaxon.com (Mark Probst via Livejournal)
””GLAAD has reached out to Amazon.com and they indicate this was an error, so we expect to start seeing evidence of its correction immediately, and any loss of visibility of gay-themed books as a result of this error will be made right by Amazon …”
Neil Giuliano, president of GLAAD, on the importance of Amazon’s inclusion and treatment of GLBT books. (WSJ)
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