WH Smith has been forced to take its website offline after an eBook porn scandal in an effort to “best protect our customers and the public.”
Last week, the revelation came that Amazon, WH Smith, Barnes & Noble and other eBook retailers were selling pornographic titles featuring incest, bestiality and rape. In light of this, WH Smith has taken its website offline.
“Our website will become live again once all self-published e-books have been removed and we are totally sure that there are no offending titles available”, reads the statement on the Whsmith.co.uk site. “When our website goes back online it will not display any self-published material until we are completely confident that inappropriate books can never be shown again.”
The UK retailer has said it is “disgusted by these particular titles” and finds their publication “unacceptable”. WH Smith receives its eBook content from Kobo.com.
Kobo has released a statement saying it is “working quickly to review its catalogue and remove the content, authors and publishers in question.”
“We are also evaluating new procedures to help ensure that this type of content will not because available… in the future,” reads the statement. “We sincerely apologise for any offence caused.”
Kobo said some of the publishers and authors had violated the self-publishing policies, but the company still maintains that it will not do anything to “negatively impact the freedom of expression and the work of the amazing self-published community that has been created at Kobo.com.”
“It is disgusting that WH Smith, one of the country’s most respected retailers, is selling hardcore pornography alongside children’s books,” said John Whittingdale, chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee of the House of Commons. “Retailers have a responsibility to families and it is unacceptable that anyone could access this material within a click of a mouse.”
According to the Ministry of Justice, the aforementioned retailers could be liable under the Obscene Publications Act if the eBooks are deemed to breach it.
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