why i'll never go e-book

[acroyear]

I Finally Got a Kindle and I Love It but I Am Scared of Fascism | The Awl:

Having learned all this, I went along and had a closer look at the current Kindle License Agreement. There is some simply petrifying stuff on there. For starters, you don’t “own” Kindle books, you’re basically renting them.

Unless otherwise specified, Digital Content is licensed, not sold, to you by the Content Provider.

They can change the software on you whenever they like:

Automatic Updates. In order to keep your Software up-to-date, Amazon may automatically provide your Kindle or Other Device with updates/upgrades to the Software.

That is how a totalitarian state would go about confiscating books, if they wanted to. There is nothing in this agreement to stop Amazon from modifying the Kindle software to make it impossible for you to read any of your own files on the device. Such a step is not actually forbidden to them by this agreement; they are under no obligation to protect any data you might be storing on there. That’s not to say that there aren’t laws at least in some states that might allow you to sue for damages; I’m just saying, there isn’t any promise made by Amazon to protect your data or preserve its readability.

They can also change the terms of the deal or simply shut down Kindle service entirely, anytime they like:

Changes to Service. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service, in whole or in part, at any time.

Or they might decide to shut your account down:

Termination. Your rights under this Agreement will automatically terminate if you fail to comply with any term of this Agreement. In case of such termination, you must cease all use of the Software, and Amazon may immediately revoke your access to the Service or to Digital Content without refund of any fees. Amazon’s failure to insist upon or enforce your strict compliance with this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of any of its rights.

Keep in mind these are your books that you bought or collected. Can you imagine a bookseller or publisher asserting rights over the contents of your bookshelves in your house? That’s basically what we’re talking about, here.

Comments

Slightly rambly, forgive me, I'm tired.

[chameleon613.livejournal.com]

This is actually one of the reasons why I don't have a Kindle and don't especially want one.

Although I could also see the argument that essentially Amazon is operating on an e-library model...although the point of that, given that part of the idea of an e-book is one of accessibility and ease of being able to tote around a whole stack of books, is a little weak. (The idea, as I understand it, is not to lug around a whole pile of books in a little container and periodically have one get lost.)

The point of a system like that, and DRM, was at least theoretically to prevent copying without giving due compensation to the creators of the product -- not to make it so that the publisher/retailer could reclaim goods at any time. Argh.