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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Nino Williams

Customers calls Amazon 'anti-Welsh' after two reviews rejected

Amazon has been criticised as 'anti-Welsh' by a customer whose Welsh-language reviews were rejected.

Last month, it was revealed the online retail giant had rejected a number of reviews of items posted in Welsh, saying they breached its community guidelines as they were not in the language the items were listed.

The company said comments can be left in Welsh to review on a Welsh item, but its guidelines do not allow reviews in a language other than the language of the item itself.

Nigel Graham told BBC Wales he had two reviews written in Welsh rejected; one for a book in English, the other for vitamin tablets.

He said Amazon UK had approved reviews in languages other than English being posted alongside English-language products.

Mr Graham, from Abercynon in Rhondda Cynon Taf, said the "vagueness" of the company's community guidelines allowed it to be "anti-Welsh".

He said: "I originally received an e-mail informing me that Amazon had removed my review from the system as its content was contrary to Amazon's 'community guidelines'".

Amazon issued an apology last month after it was revealed it had rejected a Welsh-language review of the book Lladd Duw by Dewi Prysor, claiming it was a "genuine technical error which was corrected".

The company also said it had launched an investigation.

A spokeswoman for Amazon UK told BBC Cymru Fyw: "We want Amazon customers to shop with confidence knowing that the reviews they read are helpful and relevant so they can make informed purchasing decisions.

"We do have clear policies for both reviewers and selling partners which reflect this.

"Generally across all our marketplaces all information posted in listings needs to be in the same language as the product listing. e.g. the product details, seller info and customer reviews.

"For example, on Amazon.co.uk, our policy doesn't allow products to be listed in another language."

Mr Graham said: "The policies may be clear on paper [but] this is not reflected by the actions of Amazon staff responsible for weeding out the reviews.

"How can shoppers buy things with confidence if reviews aren't allowed?

"The wording 'generally across all our marketplaces' is very vague and allows them to be anti-Welsh."

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