Amazon.com may be one of the largest online retailers in the world, but it apparently doesn't want to risk the ire of the world's top social networks.
The online retailer found itself in some very public hot water this week after shoppers realized that it was selling an e-book entitled: The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover's Code of Conduct. The book was available for the company's popular Kindle e-reader.
As news of the book spread, Amazon.com seemed reluctant to remove it from sale. A spokesperson for the company told the high-tech blog TechCrunch on Wednesday, "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."
But then irate customers and others took to Facebook and Twitter, even starting an online boycott of Amazon until it removed the book from its virtual shelves.
In frustration with the company, people created two related Facebook pages. By noon today, the page Boycott amazon. Com for Selling Guide for Pedophile had amassed more than 10,700 people who "liked" it. And a second page called "Boycott Amazon for Selling Pedophile Guide" had more than 4,500 followers.
And people were quick to take to Twitter to not only vent their frustrations but to call for a boycott there as well.
Debt_Princess tweeted, "I will be boycotting @Amazon until this is removed. Will you join me?? #BoycottAmazon". And wandabooty tweeted, "c'mon people, boycot AMAZON, god bless our children! We can put these people out of business! Take a stand for our children!"
Amazon.com, which did not respond to a request for information, stopped selling the book late Wednesday.
Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, said he's not surprised that Amazon bowed to the force of social networking.
"Online social networks are about people talking to each other, only bigger and faster than can be done with earlier technologies, like face-to-face, telephone, posters and newsletters, even e-mail," said. "When there's a topic that a large number of people will feel strongly about, social media will lead the pack."
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