Senator Wyden Thinks Consumers Buying Digital Media Should Know What They’re Getting

Senator Ron Wyden wants the government to force companies to make it clear to buyers what they are getting when they buy digital media online. Wyden in a letter to the FTC is seeking guidance to “ensure that consumers who purchase or license digital goods can make informed decisions and understand what ownership rights they are obtaining.” Consumers should know how long the license lasts, and whether they can transfer or resell the license (typically not). The Verge earlier reported on the letter. Because of the pesky issue of DRM copyright technology, consumers buying content online—like movies and TV shows—often do not own it in the traditional sense. A digital purchase of a movie from Amazon or a game from Microsoft is tied to an online account, and buyers generally obtain a “license” to access it. There are also often restrictions, too. Amazon generally makes it impossible to download e-books purchased from its store and use them on other types of non-Kindle devices, or sell them ... Read full article.