this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2026
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Kindle literally removed 1984 from people's devices
That was a case where the seller literally didn’t have the rights to the book. If you search for the title today you’ll find a version that is listed as the Authorized Orwell Edition.
Not the same as what I was referring to. Video games based on licensed IPs, often get taken down from digital game stores because the publisher’s license has ended. What you described with 1984 is someone who shouldn’t be selling the media, having sold it. Sure, it sucks if the title disappeared from your device but maybe that was the only legal resolution?
Conveying something to someone in perpetuity (i.e. "selling" it to them) when you don't have the right to do so is fraud. Just because Amazon or whoever's right to continue offering the thing ended doesn't mean their customers' property rights somehow end with it.
It's exactly as absurd as a car dealer stealing back all the cars they previously sold just because they ended their agreement with the manufacturer.
There is absolutely no sane world in which stealing your customers' property could ever be the "only legal resolution!"
The proper legal resolution would be refunding the customer and then settle it between Amazon and the author that didn't have the rights to sell what they sold. If I buy some food at the grocery store and there's a recall due to for example contamination, I can go back to the store and get a refund. I can even go to any store selling the same item without an invoice and get a refund (for their list price I think). This is at least the deal in Denmark. This should be the same if something was sold with a missing license or improper license (if it is sold as a product but the license the seller has expires and is not renewed)