Buying a video on Amazon does not mean you can keep it forever
posted Friday Oct 30, 2020 by Scott Ertz
When it comes to digital video content, there is nearly an unlimited number of ways to watch. From services like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix to iTunes, there are different methods and ownership types. These days almost people seem to prefer the idea of an overall content subscription to individual ownership, which explains the rise of services like Hulu and Disney+. However, some people prefer to purchase their digital content, but that isn't as easy as some people believed. A legal case against Amazon made that all the more clear this week.
Amanda Caudel, who is an Amazon Prime Video user, purchased content on the service. After finding out the hard way that this purchase did not actually grant her ownership over the content and can be revoked at any time, she sued the company. The company argued that every time you make a purchase, you are reminded that it can be revoked by presenting the Prime Video Terms of Use.
The most relevant agreement here - the Prime Video Terms of Use - is presented to consumers every time they buy digital content on Amazon Prime Video. {The terms} expressly state that purchasers obtain only a limited license to view video content and that purchased content may become unavailable due to provider license restriction or other reasons.
The court agreed with the argument, finding in favor of Amazon. The problem, of course, comes in the business model for Amazon Prime Video. Purchasing for the right to stream a video should certainly have been a clue that, if Amazon loses the right to stream the video, you'll lose access to it. It's why many people who purchase digital video content use Apple's service because you get the ability to download the video rather than just stream it.
We live in an age of digital access versus ownership. Paying for a game does not mean you'll get to play it forever. Paying for software doesn't mean it will work forever. Nearly everything is a subscription service and few services are downloadable for future use.
