A self-published guide giving advice to paedophiles that is for sale through online retailer Amazon is stirring up controversy on the internet, with some threatening to boycott the website.
The availability of the Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover’s Code of Conduct has led to questions over scrutiny on the site.
Amazon allows authors to submit their own books and shares revenue with them.
Amazon said it did not promote criminal acts, but also avoided censorship.
Before authors are able to sell a work on the site, they are asked to read a set of guidelines, which bans offensive materials.
But Amazon does not specifically state on its website what material it deems offensive, instead saying “probably what you would expect”.
Responding to the criticism, the retailer said in a statement: “Amazon believes it is censorship not to sell certain books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable.
“Amazon does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts, however, we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions.”
The author, listed as Philip R Greaves II, argues that paedophiles are misunderstood and purports to offer advice to help them abide by the law.
Individuals on the micro-blogging website Twitter have asked Amazon to remove the book from its site, while some are threatening to boycott the retailer.
One Amazon user posted a comment on the site saying: “I have seen first hand the harm that people like the author of the book, and potential readers, do to children and to see a book like this on Amazon’s ‘shelves’, so to speak, is very troubling to me.”
The title is being sold for the Kindle electronic reader.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.