While this isn’t quite the digital book burning that Amazon has been enacting against certain other books and authors lately, it’s still a news story indicative of how the major e-tailer is dictating how things can be viewed on the site and what ads can run on the platform based on a very linear, Left-leaning ideology.
Yasmine Mohammed, author of the book Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam, encountered Amazon’s bias firsthand when she attempted to take out an ad using Amazon Advertising. However, the book was rejected for advertising because it was classified as “controversial”.
Mohammed shared the tweet along with Amazon’s rejection letter on October 4th, 2019.
A day in the life of being me:
You fight your whole life to escape from hate, violence, and authoritarian laws…and once you’re out, you dust yourself off, stand tall, and get bombarded all over again from the other, ‘free’, side.
I’m too controversial, but Hitler is fine. Ok. pic.twitter.com/CPArltW8RI
— Yasmine Mohammed ياسمين محمد (@YasMohammedxx) October 4, 2019
If you’re unable to read the letter in the tweet, it states…
“Hello Yasmine Mohammed,
“Thank you for submitting your ad “Unveiled ebook” for review. Unfortunately, we are unable to approve your ad for the following reason(s): 1. It is Amazon’s policy to not advertise content in which our audiences may see a controversial topic, person, or event.”
It seems kind of backwards given that they’ve advertised The Man In The High Castle, which is Amazon’s own controversial streaming show part of Prime Video.
Nevertheless, Mohammed would point out how other big tech platforms have been attempting to deplatform or demonetize her and her content, while allowing views criticizing Catholicism, West Boro, and even Scientology without demonetizing or censoring the content, but they go to extra lengths to protect Islam.
Writing about leaving the Westboro Baptist Church is not controversial
Writing about leaving Hasidic Judaism is not controversial
Writing about leaving Scientology is not controversial
Writing about leaving any religion is not controversial EXCEPT ISLAM
Why the discrepancy?
— Yasmine Mohammed ياسمين محمد (@YasMohammedxx) October 4, 2019
Luckily for Mohammed, her book is still available for purchase on Amazon, even though the outlet banned any ads from running on the service to promote the book. You can pick up a copy of Unveiled from Amazon’s ebook section.
(Thanks for the news tip durka durka)
