Look folks, Goodreads screwed up, and will probably do so again, but I think this drama is much ado about very little.

Deleting someone's reviews is "very little"? I beg to differ. Doing so with no warning is "very little"? I beg to differ.

We aren't paid to review books. Our reviews and likes and other interactions with the database are monetized by Goodreads via sales to other sites and, now, integration with Amazon. So, in addition to providing them FOR FREE the data they mine and sell, and now use to sell things to us, we cannot rely on the site to treat reviews as our own to say what we will in, not to mention safe when stored here.

That's a lot. And given the complete silence about these matters maintained by the staff, it's only the beginning of a downward spiral into Amazon-ness of "review" culture.

Papa,

Maybe you are right, though it looks to me like they acted hastily and having realized their mistake, are now trying to backpedal a bit. Yes, deleting reviews without notice (or backup) was very stupid. Hopefully they've learned from that.

David wrote: "Papa,

Maybe you are right, though it looks to me like they acted hastily and having realized their mistake, are now trying to backpedal a bit. Yes, deleting reviews without notice (or backup) was ..."

Have I missed a public mea culpa? Did I sleep through a site-wide announcement of a change in Terms of Service? If so, I am wrong to take them to task. Oh wait...except I'm not, because the harm was already done, and per one of the henchrats working here, they "cannot restore" the deleted materials.

Cannot? They don't have daily backups, at the very and scary-thought-only, minimum?

They've censored someone's work. They've never apologized and made it right by restoring the work.

If you think this is anything other than a pointer to Things To Come, you are more of an optimist than I can bring myself to be.

edited/spelling

Well, I'm not leaving at this time. If you are, I'm sorry to see you go.

I created the BookLikes account mostly out of curiosity, partly as a precaution.

I am opposed to deleting reviews, but I'll exercise my own discretion about lines in the sand, thanks.

Actually, I said "much ado about very little." Slight difference.

Although your question was posed politely, I'm getting a definite "Explain yourself to my satisfaction (so I can tell you how wrongbad you are)" vibe. If you don't approve of the battles I choose to fight and where I choose to draw my lines, I can live with that. This is not the River Volga.

My blog post wasn't really intended as a "counterpoint." If forced to offer one, I would point out that reviews consisting of nothing but "author-is-a-douche" and a wall of spastic macros don't really contribute much, and if Goodreads, as a private site, wants to disallow them, I don't think that really falls under the category of "censorship."

Am I annoyed that Goodreads has acted in such a hamhanded fashion? Yes. Does it bother me that the douches from "Stop the Goodreads Bullies" have managed to get reviews pulled? Yes.

However, my personal annoyance meter has not yet crossed the threshold of intolerability. I don't want to migrate to Booklikes. I'm not trying to change your mind or talk anyone else out of leaving.

Well, I'm staying too, not because I approve of what Goodreads did, but because I mainly use this site as a way to keep track of what books I read. And, for my purposes, it remains an adequate filing system.

I do support those who are talking about, protesting, and questioning GR's deletion of material with little notice or justification, however. I think that action warranted this backlash.

I have no plans to shut down my account. I plan to use the site without adding value...reviews will be pointers to my blog with teasers. I won't star-rate anything. I won't up-vote reviews, rather leaving comments for the reviewer.

I use the search function to get an overview of opinion on a title. If I start to see obvious algorithmic massage of what I see, I might shut up shop and leave.

David, Your, comments are all beautifully put.

As for the new Goodreads policies, I'm still reading excellent reviews about books I'm interested in or could become interested in, and I certainly see no reason to move from Goodreads.

Until I'm personally affected I don't see any reason to move to a new site. I think that a lot of people are missing the reason why we all like Goodreads. Think about it...

Booklikes is leaping onto the bandwagon to pick up "fallen" Goodreaders...I hate that kind of thing in this modern day society. Goodreads is still unique and brings millions of books to people' attention and that's what readers are looking for. For me, this is a godsend "Library" as I live in the foothills of the French Pyrenees and I'm certainly not going to "upset the apple cart".

I think a good reason to keep your book lists on another site, or on your computer somewhere is that goodreads has become very wobbly and Jenga-like.
If you read the feedback group and read between the lines you might think the same.
It seems things go missing on a regular basis.