Yes, this is real. Someone published or self-published a real pedophile ebook through Amazon. Amazon defended its business decision as not believing in censorship.
IMHO: When you run a business, you make a lot of choices. If you decide not to carry a certain item, let's say "pink stuffed bunnies", no one actually accuses you of "pink stuffed bunny" prejudice or censorship. And if they did -- so what? You can't possibly carry everything pink, stuffed, or bunny anyway. People who want "pink stuffed bunnies" simply go elsewhere.
Amazon has not tried to take on the impossible task of carrying everything that exists in print, digital or otherwise. They pass on many things everyday. This is a matter of business or practicality, not censorship.
Deciding to carry "Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure" just down the digital bookshelf from children's ebooks is questionable.
Whether or not carrying it had anything to do with censorship or business is debatable.
As much as I hate censorship, the argument/defense gets brought out every time there is a decision someone doesn't want questioned.
Some day someone is going to make a real argument regarding censorship and no one will listen.
-J Burch
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"The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure," which was being sold by Amazon for the Kindle, has been pulled from the site after threats arose to boycott the e-tailer.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20022495-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
