Harry Potter, Apple Inc, and Alphabet Inc have recently raised concerns with Amazon.com Inc regarding the availability of sexually explicit content on the popular Kindle app. The tech giants have called for Amazon to reinforce its content moderation policies to prevent children from accessing explicit material.

Explicit content found on Kindle app

The warning was triggered after Reuters questioned the companies about users’ ability to access and view sexually explicit photographs via the Kindle app, including titles like “75 hot fully nude photos of a young blonde” and “Real Erotica: Amateur Naked Girls – Vol. 4.” Some of the images appeared to depict individuals engaging in sexual acts.

The concerned companies cited policy violations but did not provide further details on the rules breached or the specific warnings issued to Amazon.

This issue came to light when two families informed Reuters that their pre-teen sons had downloaded explicit content through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited e-book subscription service and viewed the images on the Kindle iPhone app. Pornographic content is also available on Amazon’s Kindle online store and can be viewed on various versions of the Kindle app.

Amazon responds to concerns

In response to the issue, Amazon stated, “We’re committed to providing a safe shopping and reading experience for our customers and their families, and we take matters like this seriously. We are reviewing all of the available information and are taking action based on our findings.”

Apple mentioned that they had shared their concerns with Amazon and were working together to ensure that the app complied with Apple’s guidelines. Google also stated that “Google Play does not allow apps that contain or promote sexual content, and we’ve been in contact with the developer on this issue.”

Calls for stricter content moderation

Such exchanges among tech companies are rare, as they often rely on each other for various services, despite their competitive nature. The Kindle and Amazon apps are consistently among the most downloaded on both Google’s and Apple’s app stores.

The adult content in question is primarily self-published through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing arm. Authors can nearly instantaneously self-publish their books through Amazon, and may designate the content as available for the Kindle Unlimited service.

Amazon is the world’s leading e-book distributor, controlling an estimated two-thirds or more of the market. E-books can be viewed on black-and-white Kindle devices, as well as in full color on the Kindle mobile app.

In light of the concerns raised, Amazon has changed the age rating for the Kindle app from 4 years or older to 12 years or older. The app is rated “teen” on Alphabet’s Google Play store.

Both Apple and Alphabet have previously policed their app stores for disallowed adult material, removing apps that displayed explicit content or ads. However, there are no parental controls available for the Kindle Unlimited service.

Amazon announced that it would update the Kindle app without offering specifics and emphasized that its terms require parental involvement for users under 18.