4 ms·
A year or two ago I got a Vudu capable device and poked around in their video rental and "purchasing" options. Same thing. In the fine print they retain the r
by steven777400 13y ago
A year or two ago I got a Vudu capable device and poked around in their video rental and "purchasing" options. Same thing. In the fine print they retain the right to suspend access to any "purchased" content for, essentially, any reason or any length of time.
Unlike some others, I do blame Amazon for this. Amazon knows what the average person thinks the word "buy" (instead of rent) means, and then acts distinctly counter to that understanding. It's a bad-faith action.
- ithurtswhenIPv6 13y agoYou are buying a (revocable) licence to the media. I think it's ridiculous but the 'rent' vs 'buy' discussion is pure semantics.
- lambda 13y agoI don't understand why you are dismissing it as "pure semantics." Semantics is the fundamental meaning of words. If you advertise "buy", but the license is is more akin to "rent", then that's lying. If you lie to someone, they won't be very amused if you say "well, 'truth' and 'falsehood' is just pure semantics." You wouldn't say that you are "buying a revokable license to live in an apartment" when you sign a lease. You would say that you are renting. Why does it suddenly become buying if it's a digital good?
- derleth 13y ago> the 'rent' vs 'buy' discussion is pure semantics. All truth in advertising laws are about 'pure semantics' if that's how you choose to refer to those kinds of distinctions. That doesn't make truth in advertising any less important.
- PeterisP 13y agoIt's not pure semantics, since your advertising is part of the 'deal' offered. If you say 'buy it here now!', you can't claim that it's some revocable licence, that's illegal bait and switch. If you say 'buy a sofa now, free shipping!' and later claim that I got a revocable, time-limited licence to use that sofa, then in consumer protection laws that is perfect legal grounds to either say 'screw you, I bought it and your fine print is null and void', or request all my money back. It should be the same for digital content - permanent and with ability to transfer/resale, just as for books.
- dubcanada 13y agoWhat would you much rather them say? Click here to pay for something that could vanish in unknown amount of time and isn't yours?
- x0x0 13y agosince that is the truth: yes
- PhasmaFelis 13y agoYeah, that'd work for me. If you have to lie to do business, then you shouldn't do business.
- Diamons 13y agoYou are incorrect on so many levels here.
- PhasmaFelis 13y agoPlease do elaborate.