Amazon Removes Merchandise That includes Nazi Symbols

SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon stated this week that it will not let third-party retailers promote merchandise that characteristic Nazi and white nationalist symbolism on its platform, amid stress from nonprofit teams and lawmakers.

In a letter dated Tuesday to Consultant Keith Ellison, a Democrat from Minnesota, Amazon stated it had eliminated merchandise that violated its coverage in opposition to product listings that promote hatred, violence or discrimination.

“Now we have reviewed the merchandise and content material referenced in your letter, and eliminated the listings that had been present in violation of our insurance policies and completely blocked the vendor accounts that had been in violation of Amazon coverage,” Brian Huseman, Amazon’s vp for public coverage, wrote within the letter, which was earlier reported by BuzzFeed. “We're additionally reviewing the vendor accounts for potential suspension.”

Amazon despatched its letter after two nonprofit teams — the Partnership for Working Households and the Motion Heart on Race and the Financial system — referred to as consideration final month to product listings on the e-commerce web site that included an toddler onesie with a burning-cross graphic and jewellery emblazoned with Nazi swastikas.

“Amazon allows the celebration of ideologies that promote hate and violence by permitting the sale of hate symbols and imagery on its web site, together with Accomplice and anti-Black imagery, Nazi and fascist imagery, and the newly adopted imagery of the trendy white nationalist motion,” the teams wrote in a report.

In response, Mr. Ellison wrote to Amazon’s chief executive, Jeff Bezos, expressing alarm. “I am disturbed that such a powerful corporation is materially fueling the rise of hate groups in our country,” Mr. Ellison said.

He also questioned Amazon about the profits it generated from white supremacist literature available on its Kindle e-reader platform. The Partnership for Working Families and the Action Center on Race and the Economy pointed to Amazon’s sales of an illustrated children’s book by George Lincoln Rockwell, who founded the American Nazi Party in 1959.

In a statement, an Amazon spokeswoman said: “Sellers are expected to comply with our policies, and we immediately investigate any reported violations. The items referenced by Representative Ellison were previously reviewed, and we removed those that violated our policies well before we received his letter.”

While Amazon said the products in question would not be available for purchase anymore, the company is still removing them from its fulfillment centers. The children’s book was still available to buy on Amazon as of late Thursday. The retailer uses a combination of automated tools and human investigation to uncover and remove products that violate its policies.

In his letter, Mr. Huseman declined to disclose how much money Amazon had made from the sale of literature published by groups that the Southern Poverty Law Center has identified as hate groups. Amazon does not reveal its profits from individual publishers or product listings, he said.

Mr. Ellison’s office said he was not available for comment.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B6 of the New York edition with the headline: Amazon Removes Products Featuring Nazi Symbolism. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe


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