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Amazon’s Kindle product line is one of the most popular e-book readers on the market. Alternatives such as Kobo Clara Color are also worth buying, but it’s hard to deny that the Kindle is an incredible device due to its absolutely gargantuan library. At least until you realize that the books you read may not be the same as those you can find in a physical library.
Recently, user X @coastalsoftgir decided to start reading “Pretty Little Liars” on his Kindle and noticed a strange inclusion on page five. Normally, a book passage on this page is supposed to mention “Fear Factor,” a show about completing challenges in a competition, but the phrase was replaced with a mention of TikTok. The app is now a popular social media platform, but the original novel was published in 2006, back when shows like “Fear Factor” reigned supreme and TikTok wasn’t even close to launching. Other readers also discovered references to Snapchat, Instagram, Adele and Billie Eilish. These services had not been invented in 2006, and Billie Eilish was five years old when the novel was written. So what does that give?
Although Amazon has made no statement, the common theory is that “Pretty Little Liars” has been modified to appeal to younger readers, particularly readers who will purchase the book on Kindle. Although these changes may seem harmless, most people don’t perceive it that way. The person who brought this change to the internet’s attention considered dropping the book there, and their comments section is full of people sharing their outrage. However, others see the positive side: the Kindle edition of “Pretty Little Liars” is a great argument for purchasing physical books.
These Kindle changes set an ugly precedent
In the spirit of fairness, the aforementioned changes appear to only apply to the Kindle edition of “Pretty Little Liars.” One commenter noted that his copy on the playbooks does not contain the TikTok edit. However, such changes raise concerns that go beyond book preservation.
One potential problem is the possibility of unannounced censorship. If, for example, someone in power wants a passage in a book changed because they find it problematic, Amazon could simply sneak through the files and stealthily “update” everyone’s copies without anyone noticing – although Amazon says e-books already in users’ libraries can only be updated if the author proves that a “serious error” needs to be corrected. Other types of updates and releases only affect future purchases. That’s because Kindle users don’t actually own their e-books; they are simply purchasing a license to receive a file containing a copy of their book, so do they really have a say? The same argument was used against people who purchased digital games removed from store windows. Players responded by launching the Stop Killing Games movement.
Likewise, the author of a book cannot ask Amazon to edit a Kindle edition because that represents an ethical position that the writer no longer identifies with, and they would have to publish a new edition. On the positive side, such a change might improve their work, but it might just as easily ruin an otherwise excellent novel. It all depends on the direction the author is going, so many readers might agree that it’s safer to hedge your bets and leave the books on Kindle as they are. And while we’ve previously stated that eBooks aren’t released on all services, who’s to say that Kindle alternatives like Boox Go Color won’t see similar changes in the future? These changes set a frightening precedent that could permanently alter the e-book landscape.
