Buying ebooks has become pretty popular for readers in our age, but there’s an issue that many people don’t see. It’s an issue that Amazon was forced to acknowledge. According to a new report, Amazon now tells you that you don’t buy ebooks, but you license them.
Why go out to the bookstore when buying ebooks is so much easier? Here’s the reason: When you buy a book at the bookstore, it belongs to you. When you buy an ebook, it belongs to you… temporarily. Here’s the fact of the matter, when you buy a piece of digital media, you don’t have any ownership over it. You’re not buying that piece of media. So, if you “buy” a copy of Murder On The Orient Express, you’re not buying a copy of that book the way you would at a bookstore. Rather, you’re buying a license that grants you access to that content. It’s basically telling Amazon that you’re allowed to consume that content.
However, Amazon (or the platform you’re buying from) still owns that book. So, you’re technically paying the company to borrow that book. Guess what happens when Amazon decides to take it back. That’s right! It’s possible to log on to your account and find any piece of media in your collection gone.
Amazon now has to tell you when you license content
Don’t be surprised, as this happens with all types of media. We’re talking about music, video games, movies, TV shows, etc. Well, Amazon is coming clean and letting people know that when they’re buying a book, they’re not buying anything. While you’re looking at a book on the Kindle Store, you’ll see the text, “By placing your order, you’re purchasing a license to the content…”
That language is key, as it doesn’t explicitly state that you’re buying the content. Licenses expire, but content doesn’t. If you buy a physical book, the bookstore can’t break into your home and yank it off of your bookshelf. Well, can, but they won’t get away with it as easily as Amazon.
While it seems very noble on Amazon’s part, California conveniently brought a law forcing companies to do this exact thing late last year. The Star State signed a law (AB 2426) that twists companies’ arms to use clear language letting users know that they’re basically renting their content. So, had it not been for the law, Amazon and other companies would still be fooling people into thinking that they’re buying their ebooks.
