# Does Amazon.com erase bad reviews? Would doing so be illegal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072 "2006-05-24T20:00:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/1 "2006-05-24T20:00:33Z")
I have heard numerous stories of this happening, but has this been confirmed by an unbiased source? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/2 "2006-05-24T20:09:34Z")
I don’t know if they do it or not, but I can’t imagine what law they’d be breaking if they did so. They own the servers, and they almost certainly have something similar to the SDMB’s user agreement which gives them ownership over reviews posted to their site. They should be free to do whatever they want with them. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/3 "2006-05-24T20:21:00Z")
Why on earth would that be illegal? When you see a car commercial, do they quote their dissatisfied customers? Do they tell you about all the recalls and vehicle-related accidents? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/4 "2006-05-24T20:29:25Z")
I recall an earlier thread on this board (forget where exactly, sorry) that [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) does delete bad reviews if they don’t explain why the person disliked the book or whatever- if they’re just attacks on the author or his/her way of thinking, if they don’t really give their opinion on why they disliked it, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/5 "2006-05-24T20:31:31Z")
Judging by the recent reviews on Nero 7 they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/6 "2006-05-24T20:33:58Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Why on earth would that be illegal? When you see a car commercial, do they quote their dissatisfied customers? Do they tell you about all the recalls and vehicle-related accidents? Because I would think it’s false advertising. How can they purport something to be user reviews, an have people often make purchases based on that info, if they are filtered? That’s different from something being an ad. > [@mobo85](#): > > I recall an earlier thread on this board (forget where exactly, sorry) that [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) does delete bad reviews if they don’t explain why the person disliked the book or whatever- if they’re just attacks on the author or his/her way of thinking, if they don’t really give their opinion on why they disliked it, etc. Do they do the same for good reviews that lack content/explanations? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/7 "2006-05-24T20:44:29Z")
They sure as hell have never erased any of _my_ bad reviews . . . ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/8 "2006-05-24T21:08:04Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > They sure as hell have never erased any of _my_ bad reviews . . . That you’ve given? Probably far too witty to erase. That you’ve gotten? No such thing. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/9 "2006-05-24T22:40:45Z")
They erase bad reviews by people who look like trolls, if asked: someone who merely says bad things about a book without even reading it. I doubt that they would take down a well-written bad review that clearly states a problem with a book: “This book sucks” would be removed. “This book has serious plot problems and the main character is completely unbelieveable” would probably stay. Note that Amazon reviews have absolutely no influence on purchasers, good or bad. Purchasers assume good reviews are by friends of the author, and that bad ones a by enemies. I doubt any review affects the sale of more than one or two copies of the book. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/10 "2006-05-24T23:00:06Z")
They have erased some bad reviews that I left, but not all of them. I don’t think they have ever erased a good review of mine, I have given more good reviews than bad, but not a huge number of either. I’m sure it is not illegal so long as they don’t advertise there system saying that they do not do such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/11 "2006-05-24T23:00:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Note that Amazon reviews have absolutely no influence on purchasers, good or bad. Purchasers assume good reviews are by friends of the author, and that bad ones a by enemies. I doubt any review affects the sale of more than one or two copies of the book. I always read the reviews before I decide on a book. Especially cookbooks or riding instruction books. I have never assumed good or bad reviews were there because of the person’s relationship to the author. Especially when there are 50+ reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/12 "2006-05-24T23:17:16Z")
I think that reviews affect certain types of books more than others. Fiction is probably the least affected, because those likes and dislikes are so personal. More specialized nonfiction - allergy cookbooks, e.g. - would be highly vulnerable to bad reviews. Non-book products, electronics, e.g., seem to also be greatly affected by bad reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/13 "2006-05-24T23:54:44Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Note that Amazon reviews have absolutely no influence on purchasers, good or bad. Purchasers assume good reviews are by friends of the author, and that bad ones a by enemies. I doubt any review affects the sale of more than one or two copies of the book. What makes you think that? I wouldn’t suppose you have a cite for that? 🆒 Maybe _you_ assume that, but I certainly don’t. I absolutely consider the reviews if I’m thinking about purchasing a book, though more important than whether they give high or low ratings is _why_ they rated them that way, because it gives me insight into whether _I_ may like it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/14 "2006-05-25T00:24:38Z")
I posted a [bad review](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0060591579/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-8285522-1220716?%5Fencoding=UTF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=-SubmissionDate&n=283155) of “Queen of Subtleties” by Suzannah Dunn. > [@Me](#): > > Such is my passion for the Tudors that I will usually make generous allowances for middling-to-somewhat-poor writing. I love reading about that time period so much that I will usually trudge through books which I don’t particularly enjoy, but I could not finish “Queen of Subtleties.” > > It’s just awful. It’s been up since October of last year. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/15 "2006-05-25T00:28:34Z")
Yes; they erase reviews, apparently quite arbitrarily; here is a good example: > **[Department of Physics](http://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/physics.html)** > > Professor with students ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/16 "2006-05-25T14:54:12Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Yes; they erase reviews, apparently quite arbitrarily; here is a good example: > > [Department of Physics - University at Buffalo](http://www.physics.buffalo.edu/~bapowell/amazon.html) Can anything be done about this? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/17 "2006-05-25T21:44:32Z")
I don’t know ; the author of that site seems to imply that Amazon prides itself on the impartiality and unskewed nature of its reviews, but I can find no declaration to that effect in their policies - if there were such a declaration, then I’m sure the whistle could be blown - in the popular media, if nowhere else. Amazon isn’t by any means the only offender in this matter; I’ve personally encountered the same thing (although not to that degree) at an online store I use for my computer stuff - I would imagine the temptation is significant for any online retailer with a rating system to prune the negatives in the hope that it will boost sales. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/18 "2006-05-25T22:20:25Z")
I know that they have edited my replies in the past to delete specific references to pricing. Not surprising, knowing that prices change over time, but the review will remain static. However, lately I am seeing more specific references to prices that have either been allowed, or have slipped through. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/19 "2006-05-25T22:56:26Z")
Even if it’s been shown that they do erase negative reviews, nobody has explained why this practice should be \*\*\*illegal.[/b\* ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072/20 "2006-05-26T02:57:20Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Even if it’s been shown that they do erase negative reviews, nobody has explained why this practice should be \*\*\*illegal.[/b\* Because they are, at the very least, misrepresenting products to their customers. It’s the equivalent of “grand opening/closing” sales when nothing is actually on sale, and the store isn’t closing. Or making up movie reviews. I think this is petty fraud. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-amazon-com-erase-bad-reviews-would-doing-so-be-illegal/358072.md?page=2)