{"id":3687,"date":"2017-07-04T18:33:02","date_gmt":"2017-07-04T13:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=3687"},"modified":"2017-07-04T20:38:17","modified_gmt":"2017-07-04T15:08:17","slug":"trolls-attempt-manipulate-ratings-books-authored-sagarika-ghose-arundhati-roy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/trolls-attempt-manipulate-ratings-books-authored-sagarika-ghose-arundhati-roy\/","title":{"rendered":"Trolls attempt to manipulate ratings of books authored by Sagarika Ghose and Arundhati Roy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sagarika Ghose’s new book, \u201cIndira \u2013 India\u2019s Most Powerful Prime Minister<\/em>\u201d had 50 reviews on July 3rd, 44 of which were negative one-star ratings. There is nothing unusual if a book attracts negative ratings but there is a small problem in this case – The book will only be available on Amazon from July 4th. An army of trolls has descended on Amazon India to leave a customer review for a book whose first copy is yet to be delivered by Amazon. Yes, we are witnessing another concerted troll attack on a book by liberal author who is seen as critical of the government.<\/p>\n

Trolls headed to Amazon to rate the book as soon as the Sagarika Ghose tweeted about it.<\/p>\n

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With my new book, "Indira, India's most powerful prime minister ". In bookstores. On Amazon from July 4 pic.twitter.com\/oJlZyrFYGU<\/a><\/p>\n

— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) July 2, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Below is a screenshot of the Amazon customer reviews page on July 3rd, one day before Amazon starts delivering the book. <\/p>\n

If we analyse these ratings further, we see that out of the 50 ratings, only one is a verified purchase on Amazon. In line with the pattern\u00a0seen in the case<\/a> of books by journalists seen as critical of the government, 49 out of these 50 reviews were made by those without a verified purchase made on Amazon. Of these 49 ratings, 44 are one-star, one is a two-star and four are five-star. Even the one verified purchase which rated the book as 5-star has done so before Amazon started the actual delivery.<\/p>\n

While the book was available in the bookstores, as seen from the comments below, it seems unlikely that many of the reviewers had bothered to read it, let alone buy a copy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorst book\u201d – <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPathetic\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDon’t waste your money, better feed some poor\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t give zero rating and hence one-star\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBook full of Crappy Imagination, Want my Money back with compensation for Mental Harassment\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t buy, it is horrible Congress propaganda\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Funnily, one reviewer wanted his money back even though he has not purchased the book on Amazon. The troll brigade is clearly not listening to the author\u2019s appeal to wait for the book to be delivered before rating it.<\/p>\n

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Idiot troll army attacks my Indira book within mins of Amazon announcement. Sirs, book takes at least a day to deliver, at least read it!<\/p>\n

— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) July 3, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There was a clear pattern in the negative reviews:<\/p>\n