On Amazon, a Qanon conspiracy book climbs the charts -- with an algorithmic push

[lunasun]

The book, “An Invitation to the Great Awakening,” is currently No. 9 in all books about politics, and No. 1 in all books about “Censorship,” @Amazon

The paperback, which cost $17 at press time, features outlandish claims, sometimes written in rapid succession with no evidence. On one page, the book baselessly claims that the United States government created AIDS, polio, Lyme disease, some natural disasters, two Indiana Jones movies and the Pixar movie Monsters Inc.

Conspiracy theory researcher Mike Rothschild told NBC News that “An Invitation to the Great Awakening” is a new way for those pushing the Qanon conspiracy theory to make cash, since recent changes to YouTube’s algorithm have made it harder for conspiracy theorists to find new followers and cash in on true believers.

“They absolutely exploited flaws in Amazon's algorithms,” Rothschild said. “They also know that Q has a small but devoted fan base that is willing to spend money. So if it gets a huge spike of sales just as it's released, it'll shoot up Amazon's lists and get in front of more people, even if those initial sales make up the bulk of who pays for it.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/amazon-qanon-conspiracy-book-climbs-charts-algorithmic-push-n979181

*Amazon declined to answer questions about the book’s placement in the algorithmic recommendations carousels, including about whether the book might have been recommended to users on other sections of the site

[Sapient Donkey]

1. So many ways to exploit these people to get their money...

If only I didn't have a conscience that would make me feel guilty for encouraging these folks while taking their money.

[anarch]

2. whoever is pushing this Q nonsense must have read the manual about "how to make money from

the mentally ill." It's disgraceful, really, but a fine example of capitalist initiative, if you want to look at it that way.

And it gives people something to believe in that makes them feel better about themselves, I guess, but it's pretty irresponsible really, to sell it as non-fiction. Then again I could say that about a few other much more popular books....

[Initech]

3. Qanon conspirators publishing facts without evidence for profit?

[Blue_Tires]

4. Qanon is how 4chan finally goes mainstream, I guess...

and I see now that the famous "marketplace of ideas" isn't based on merit or truth but how well you can game the predicative algorithms on google, amazon and youtube