'Amazon review rules allow them to be anti-Welsh'

Nigel Graham was told Welsh reviews on English items did not adhere to "community guidelines"

An Amazon customer, whose Welsh-language reviews were rejected, said vagueness surrounding policy allows the company to be "anti-Welsh".

Nigel Graham, from Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has had two reviews not published - one for vitamin tablets and another for an English book.

He was told they did not adhere to "community guidelines" as they were not in the language the items were listed.

Amazon said customers can leave a Welsh comment or a review on a Welsh item.

This could be an item such as a Welsh language book but the company said its guidelines did not allow reviews in a language other than the language of the item itself.

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Mr Graham said it was a "strange situation" and there were examples on Amazon UK of approved reviews in languages other than English having been posted alongside English-language products.

He added that other Welsh speakers had had a similar problem with the company.

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'."

Nigel Graham received an email to say that his review "must adhere to company guidelines"

Last month, Amazon were forced to apologise after refusing a Welsh-language review of the book Lladd Duw by Dewi Prysor.

The company said this was a "genuine technical error which was corrected".

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 in response: "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."