Comment: Just Another Day In The Life Of Amazon - 'The Destroyer Of Bookshops'

In the small print of the director's hand book for every stock market-listed company - and most likely many private ones too - there exists a clause that urges them to protect the business from reputational damage.

Its part of a wider corporate responsibility that means executives must consider public reaction to their activities and the impact that might have on performance.

We have read enough George Orwell to wonder whether firms probably don't worry too much about this sort of thing so much as how quickly they can brush it under the carpet.

But, more practically, reputational damage clearly does not necessarily include unfounded accusations or criticism of business practices which more liberal capitalists may think are absolutely justifiable. It also begs the question: what is damaging?

Let's take Amazon. It's a phenomenon - and it seems to ride the waves that others can't. In fact it could be argued the more people tell us about how its warehouse workers in Germany are paid less than retail staff in the country's stores, the more it is criticised for employing clever tax accountants to lower its bills and the more the French culture minister complains about its business practices of 'dumping prices', the more the consumers in us all thinks - 'wow, I bet their prices are cheap'.

The minister in question Aurélie Filippetti on Wednesday branded Amazon 'The Destroyer of Bookshops' and said it undercuts rivals to create a quasi-monopoly, in what is just the latest attack on internet firms by the French government.

'Everyone has had enough of Amazon which, through dumping practices, smashes prices to penetrate markets and then raises prices once they are in a situation of quasi-monopoly,' she said.

Its not yet clear whether business might be damaged by these accusations or whether this will all turn out to be just another day in the life of Amazon.

Have we 'had enough of Amazon'? Surely that's just good business maneuvering? Or maybe its socially and morally deplorable, as Filippetti suggests. No more self-serving and morally deplorable than many politicians, we hear you say...

It may be naive, but lovers of the internet believe that its beautiful democracy means all truths will be laid bare - so in this brave new democracy we'll find out in the end. Hopefully it won't be too late when we do.

But one truth that Amazon exploits like no other is that the most important truth of the internet is that price is a very persuasive motivator. Nearly all the accusations that have flown its way so far bolster that reputation and its tills keep ringing. No amount of moral indignation or reputational slandering seems to persuade many consumers to take their money elsewhere.