Industry Begins Debate Over Removal of Kindle Titles

-- Publishers Weekly, 7/20/2009 8:49:00 AM

The industry continues to debate today what the implications for e-books are following Amazon’s decision on Friday to remove editions of 1984 and Animal Farm from Kindles. The company did so after it learned that the e-books were illegal copies. The removal was first brought to the attention of the public by the Kindle community where new posts are still occuring.

For agent, and ereads founder Richard Curtis, the episode highlights the problem of unauthorized texts being uploaded on the Kindle and other e-book sites. “Books may be uploaded, and commonly are uploaded, to Scribd and other e-book sites, and unless the sites can certify the legitimacy of the provider, you're going to get situations like this,” Curtis said. Scribd, I know, has taken measures to screen such uploads and many publishers are defensively uploading copyrighted books to pre-empt illegal uploads from other sources. I'm just a little surprised that Amazon didn't do its homework before accepting the files.”

In reacting to the uproar caused by removing the titles, Amazon said Friday evening it was changing its systems to prevent a similar situation, though it was unclear just how its systems will be changed.