Amazon May Add Warning About Antisemitic: It was announced that the corporation was in talks with the Anti-Defamation League about the possibility of adding wording to the page that customers see before deciding whether or not to purchase or rent the video.
Amazon Might Add a Warning About Antisemitic Content, Here’s a Quick Overview
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving was suspended after the team and the Anti-Defamation League wrote to Amazon demanding that the corporation take action against the “deeply and unmistakably antisemitic” documentary and companion book. The firm said that it was discussing the possibility of including a disclaimer in the video with the A.D.L.
In a letter to Amazon, A.D.L. CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote, “intended to inflame hatred and, now that it was popularized by Mr. Irving, will lead directly to the damage of Jews.” The Nets joined the A.D.L. in this request, and Greenblatt signed the letter in their name. The New York Times has gotten a copy of the letter.
A representative for Amazon, Cory Shields, indicated that the proposed disclaimer would be displayed on the main detail page for the documentary, which customers would see before purchasing or renting the video. On the product page for the book on which the film is based, a similar comment could be included.
Mr. Irving tweeted a link to Amazon for the video “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” more than a week ago, and the post was widely condemned for its “extensive antisemitism,” which includes the ideas that Jews dominate the media and that millions of Jews did not die in the Holocaust.
Despite Mr. Irving deleting the post, the Nets nevertheless punished him for refusing to affirm he did not have antisemitic sentiments. For sharing the video “without context and a factual explanation stating the precise concepts in the Documentary I agreed with and disagreed with,” he later issued an apology on Instagram. He said that he had “no intention of disrespecting any Jewish cultural tradition related to the Holocaust or perpetuating any hate.”
His apologies were criticized for not being sincere enough, especially by the Brooklyn Nets and other groups.
On Friday, the Athletic discovered a four-page letter written to Amazon’s executive chairman, Jeff Bezos, as well as its chief executive, Andy Jassy, and general counsel, David Zapolsky. Particularly relevant to the contemporary climate of antisemitism in the United States, it identifies problematic content in the book and film and explains why it’s problematic at this time.
The Nets have issued six conditions for Kyrie to return to the team, per @ShamsCharania
More here: https://t.co/qjkTTvYNqB pic.twitter.com/YjUR7cGjWn
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 6, 2022
According to the film’s Amazon page, it was directed by Ronald Dalton Jr. and produced independently in 2018; it can be rented for $12 or purchased for $50. Prime Video Direct is a self-service platform launched by Amazon in 2016 that enables filmmakers and content producers to submit their works to Amazon and access the company’s millions of customers. The video has over 1,200 ratings on Amazon.
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Mr. Greenblatt said in a statement last week that the movie and book were best sellers on Amazon across numerous categories thanks to Mr. Irving’s shenanigans.
According to the company’s requirements, before licensing a film, “all titles undergo manual and automated screening” for inappropriate content such as copyright violations and graphic sexuality. The company’s policy also forbids “hateful content,” which it defines as “derogatory comments, hate speech, or threats directly targeting any group or people.”
Amazon said the video was reviewed before being made accessible online, but the company did not provide the results of that assessment or explain how it determined the movie did not violate the hate speech policy.
This strategy of self-service distribution is analogous to the one Amazon pioneered in the book industry, which enabled it to dramatically increase its inventory without having to negotiate with traditional publishers. In recent years, Amazon has changed its policy to give it the authority to delete “offensive” content, even though it has historically been reluctant to remove sensitive or controversial books. “As a bookshop, we feel that enabling access to the written word is crucial,” it says in its policy.
