Amazon’s Goodreads blocks Iranian users citing US sanctions, sparks outcry
Goodreads, the Amazon-owned book social network, has come under fire after suspending accounts of Iranian users without warning in recent days, citing US sanctions. The move triggered widespread criticism from users and digital rights advocates who say it amounts to “digital discrimination.”
Founded in 2006 and acquired by Amazon in 2013, Goodreads has long served as a global platform for readers to review books, share notes, and connect over literature. But over the past several weeks, dozens of Iranian users discovered their accounts had been deleted or locked — in some cases, wiping out years of activity, Tasnim reported.
The users said they received no prior notice. When they attempted to reach Goodreads support, they were redirected to Amazon’s identity verification email, which demanded personal documents, including passports, proof of residence, and job records from the past 50 days.
“These requirements were never mentioned in the site's terms of use,” one user told Iranian news outlet Tasnim, calling the move “arbitrary and invasive.”
This isn’t the first time Goodreads has targeted Iranian users. In 2019, a similar wave of account suspensions coincided with a new round of US sanctions on Iran. But users and critics argue the current actions go further, severing access to non-commercial, non-political spaces with no financial element.
“Goodreads is not a bank or a marketplace. It’s a place to talk about books,” reads a statement from a user-organized petition that has begun circulating online. The petition urges Amazon to end “nationality-based suspensions” and restore affected accounts
Some users, who had contributed hundreds of reviews and book annotations, say years of work disappeared overnight.
Digital rights advocates warn that such enforcement, under the broad umbrella of US sanctions, is expanding beyond business or finance and infringing on free expression.
“If left unchecked, this could spread to users in other countries,” the petition adds. “We must defend the global right to read and be heard.”
Amazon has not responded to multiple requests for comment. Goodreads has remained silent on the issue.