Amazon has recently indicated that they will be removing certain books from their platform that promote controversial pseudoscientific methods, such as autism cures. Their open fight against misinformation illustrates that platforms are willing to take a stand when it comes to what is shared online, especially on such a large scale. With the increasing growth of the digital realm and the ability to share information whenever, wherever, it has become a lot more difficult now than it was a few years ago to monitor what is being shared, the accuracy behind the information, and the potential damage it can cause to individuals or businesses without appropriate measures taken to ensure its reliability.

Platforms like electronic data rooms have also been designed to tirelessly fight against the sharing of misinformation by:

• Ensuring that only the right third parties have access to collaborating within the virtual data room
• Providing an administrator with all the tools to protect data and share it accordingly
• Promoting accountability with the users involved in certain deals and transactions

With the vastness of the internet it is impossible to monitor everything that is uploaded and distributed to unknowing users, generating profit for deceptive and ill-informed businesses looking to endorse potentially dangerous ideologies. However, the fact that powerhouses like Amazon are taking a stand shows consumers and the aforementioned deceptive businesses that accountability and knowledge is valued above all else, especially when it comes to maintaining the well-being of children.

While removing these books can be considered censorship, Amazon has explained that they are against their guidelines and have not indicated any plans on returning them to shelves any time soon. An important lesson to be learned from this is that just because a piece of information is on the internet and shared widely between a multitude of users does not make it true or accurate. Anyone can upload anything and platforms are only now recognizing the ramifications misinformation can have on people’s well-being.