iTunes TV store UK censors negative reviews

[midwich]

This might be old news, but it's new to me and seems worth saying. I was checking out the UK iTunes TV store yesterday, and perused the Dora the Explorer Season 2 page (don't ask, and in any case it was the only season available). There were two reviews: an asinine "Dora rocks!" one-line review, and a second more thoughtful review adding that the $3.87 price per episode was way too high. I inputted my own review saying the same thing.

Checked the same page today: ONE review only - guess which one? Yep, the "Dora rocks" one. Both reviews complaining about price have vanished.

Is this normal? How many other reviews are being deleted for whatever reason? I could also complain that the DRM restrictions presumably on these files could not be found mentioned anywhere on the iTunes site, but that's another matter I guess.

I find it rather shocking that Apple thinks it acceptable to 'massage' reviews in this fashion, it renders them pretty useless as guides to the programmes - anyone care to comment?

FWIW I'm a lifeling Apple comp user, so no axe to grind here.

 

[Applespider]

I suspect the official response would be that your review wasn't about the show - but about the iTMS and value. Since that's off-topic, your review was moderated.

FWIW, I agree that the shows are overpriced. But I'm letting them know that by just not buying them

 

[gnasher729]

This might be old news, but it's new to me and seems worth saying. I was checking out the UK iTunes TV store yesterday, and perused the Dora the Explorer Season 2 page (don't ask, and in any case it was the only season available). There were two reviews: an asinine "Dora rocks!" one-line review, and a second more thoughtful review adding that the $3.87 price per episode was way too high. I inputted my own review saying the same thing.

Checked the same page today: ONE review only - guess which one? Yep, the "Dora rocks" one. Both reviews complaining about price have vanished.

Is this normal? How many other reviews are being deleted for whatever reason? I could also complain that the DRM restrictions presumably on these files could not be found mentioned anywhere on the iTunes site, but that's another matter I guess.

I find it rather shocking that Apple thinks it acceptable to 'massage' reviews in this fashion, it renders them pretty useless as guides to the programmes - anyone care to comment?

FWIW I'm a lifeling Apple comp user, so no axe to grind here.

First, you can't buy any movies at the UK store for $3.87. All the prices are in UK pounds. US prices are irrelevant. Second, reviews are supposed to help people make decisions based on information that they couldn't get otherwise. Your comments about price, or DRM, are not helpful at all, because as a customer I know these things anyway or can find out. You are basically criticizing the concept of the video store altogether, instead of giving a review of that "Dora the Explorer" series.

If you have anything to say that helps me making a buying decision (like, is this movie interesting or boring, how is the quality) that I can't usually find out without buying, go ahead and post it. Moaning about the price is not helpful to a customer.

So the "negative review" that was removed seems not to have been a review at all. Try posting something like "my kids find Dora really boring and they'd rather eat spinach than watching it" and see if that gets removed. In that case, you have a reason to complain.

 

[midwich]

First, you can't buy any movies at the UK store for $3.87. All the prices are in UK pounds. US prices are irrelevant. ...

I live in the UK, so I converted the 1.89 pounds to dollars for people's convenience.

I suspect the official response would be that your review wasn't about the show - but about the iTMS and value. Since that's off-topic, your review was moderated.

FWIW, I agree that the shows are overpriced. But I'm letting them know that by just not buying them

I think the key here is that you are forced to "suspect" this: most people would probably assume the comments are pretty much as posted: they are wrong. There may a host of reasons Apple censors comments, but they're not telling. It should be made clear that they are deleting at will, in the same way the store should be upfront about DRM restrictions etc too, but doesn't seem to be.


IRONY tag: my posts seem to be being invisibly edited, and not to my advantage. I see no point in adding anything further then

 

[AdeFowler]

Comparisons with the US prices are largely irrelevant and can be applied to the majority of products sold in the UK, but FWIW, the first review on the Ugly Betty page makes exactly that moot point and has been there since day one. Go figure

 

[Blue Velvet]

First of all, they're perfectly entitled to delete off-topic comments about shows.

Secondly, welcome to MacRumors and please ensure that you read the forum rules.

Thanks.

 

[jonnylink]

I have to say that I am glad that apple removed comments on price. When I read review I don't want to sift through off-topic complaints to see what people are really thinking. Sorry, but that's how I see it.

There are other places for that sort of thing.