Comments on: #AmazonFAIL Malice or Bumble?

By: Edward

Edward — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:09:44 +0000

It seems the Amazon thing was a prank by this guy: [redacted - I won't link to hackers - sorry]

By: Jesurgislac

Jesurgislac — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:38:52 +0000

Jessica: To me, it’s a friend of over 20 years.

Yes, I read the whole post. That’s still an unnamed source. “Works for Amazon” – what as? Chief programmer? PA to the CEO? Customer service responder? Do they have permission from their bosses to talk with you? If they don’t, what source of information are they going from – official company memos saying “OF COURSE WE;RE NOT HOMOPHOBIC”?

My point stands: whether the mass wipeout was a “glitch” or what, it plainly couldn’t have worked without someone at Amazon making some fairly homophobic decisions and not being called on them.

By: David Niall Wilson

David Niall Wilson — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:30:43 +0000

One point I hope doesn’t get buried in all of this is that the button that DOES cause something to be deemed inappropriate is there, and it doesn’t take that many people to click it and remove something. One tiny hate group with nothing better to do could game the system pretty effectively and quickly.

Glad to see more people blogging about this..love the widget inclusion. In my post, I included all of my own books that should probably have their ranks removed as well…

David

By: LitmanLive.co.uk » Blog Archive » #Amazonfail and a coincidental job advert

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:53:00 +0000

[...] Amazonfail – Malice or Bumble by Jessica Gottlieb [...]

By: sherri haymond

sherri haymond — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:58:28 +0000

I truly hope your source is right, and that amazon does something about it AND apologizes – quick! of all entities, they should understand the importance of perception (see their stock chart from July ‘08 til Nov ‘08).

By: Jessica - Jessica Knows

Jessica - Jessica Knows — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:45:26 +0000

Your widget is the best punctuation mark I’ve ever seen on a blog post.

I agree, if they just fix it and apologize…we can all move on.

By: Amazon fails at measuring perception on Twitter…at least so far | Justin case you were wondering

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:39:45 +0000

[...] Jessica Gottlieb said in her blog on the subject — where she mentions btw that she talked to a source at Amazon she’s [...]

By: Jessica Gottlieb

Jessica Gottlieb — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:33:29 +0000

It’s an unnamed source only to you.

To me, it’s a friend of over 20 years. How cool would it be if you read the whole post?

By: Jesurgislac

Jesurgislac — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:31:54 +0000

Never trust an unnamed source. I’m sure they’re telling you what they have been told to say by their employers, but:

This episode really was just a glitch in trying to handle this type of adult-themed product and had nothing to do w/ targeting gay/lesbian lit.

Someone, at some point, made the decision that a metatag using “lesbian”, “gay”, “bisexual”, “transgender” denoted “adult” material.

I’m sure it never occurred to whoever made that decision that they would, by this, be removing non-fiction about gays in the military and acclaimed novels by award-winning writers. Because I should think whoever made this decision thought of “LGBT” as wholly and exclusively sexual – pornographic, extreme, private. The straight male gaze, on the other hand – normal. Playboy Centerfolds and Fight Club – just fine.

Trying to argue there was no homophobia or transphobia or sexism involved in this glitch won’t wash. There clearly was, and by this time, no matter how many employees Amazon despatch to go give “unnamed source” information to blogger friends, they really need to admit they screwed up, fix it, and apologise.

By: amyz5

amyz5 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:09:30 +0000

nice tribute jessica. you always have the right touch ; )