Hello class, this is John K. I will be presenting about Amazon.com on wednesday. Here is a controversy I have found on amazon. The first article is from 2007 and descripes what the issue was with the Humane Society of the United States(HSUS) against Amazon.com and the 2nd article is recently in 2008 on what has happened so far in this case. Hopefully you guys can read both to understand how the case has progressed, but if not i'll gladly explain in class during my presentation . Thanks. Here are the links if you guys don't want to read them off this page
Article 1:http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/amazonvshsus
Article2:http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/05/19/daily9.html
Article 1:
September 28, 2007
Amazon.com is in the cross hairs of an inquiry by the Humane Society of the United States this week. The web company sells two magazines that deal with cockfighting.
The Feathered Warrior and The Gamecock carry ads for blades that are attached to the birds' legs – which HSUS reps say constitutes the sale of illegal contraband.
Amazon contends the first amendment protects the mags, since cockfighting is still legal in two US states. But the HSUS had this to say.
Freedom of speech is a historically strong defense - and since two states still allow the fights, the mags in question technically still have markets for which they aren't advertising contraband. But does that make it permissible?
What do you think? Let us know by posting a comment or video response below, or emailing us at news@zootoo.com.
Article 2:
The Humane Society of the United States has claimed a partial victory in its fight to remove a magazine devoted to cockfighting from Amazon.com Inc..
Last year, the Humane Society sued the Seattle online retailer (NASDAQ: AMZN), claiming that selling "The Gamecock" magazine violated misdemeanor provisions of the Animal Welfare Act.
In an agreement announced Tuesday, the Washington D.C.-based animal protection organization said it's reached a settlement with the publisher of "The Gamecock," who agreed to eliminate all advertisements for fighting animals, knives and "illegal paraphernalia." The magazine also won't be sold on Amazon.com for a year, until the publisher demonstrates compliance with federal law, according to the Humane Society.
But the animal rights group said Amazon officials have "vowed to fight on in the case," a position the animal rights group called "bizarre."
"Amazon cannot seem to grasp that the First Amendment does not offer any defense for people who want to peddle contraband," said Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president of animal protection litigation for the Humane Society, in a statement.
Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith said "Amazon.com has not entered into any settlement agreement with the Humane Society. We are in the process of reviewing their settlement agreement with the magazine publisher, but have no further comment at this time."
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5 comments:
I know amamon.com after I came to America. I rember I wanna buy something and ask my friends which website is cheaper sale things except for ebay. They told me the website, amazon. I sometimes compaire the price between ebay and amazon, and let myself save more money. I think amazon is popular in US but ebay is international popular website.
Interesting article John. I would have to agree with the animal rights group on this issue. Something that is not leagal like cock fighting should not be allowed to advertise on a popular site like amazon. As it mentions in the article there is a very weird situation. Amazon supports the animal rights group but they still allowed this advertisement to be put up on their page, very weird situation.
Great articles ,John! For me , Amazon is the best marketing website because I trust that if I order anything through it , I will receive it on the time; for example, I usually order the cheapest textbooks for my subjects and can't compare its price with each of any bookstores'prices , so I feel that's my best source to get anything I want. The lovely thing about Amazon.com is that I can get my order on business days like 2 days without more charging fee.
Great artcle.I wonder taht why amazon stand by both sides. In this case, I agree with animal rights group. Those advertisements about cockfighting should be removed on amazon because it could make people think it is legal while it appear on the legal website.
Very interesting articles John...I am totally with animal rights group but I was also trying to think from business point of view and I think the way amazon thinks is that if they won't advertise or sell it, someone else will and people who want to buy such disgusting things will buy it anyways from somewhere else, so why not amazon.
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