Amazon's Kindle restrictions deal another blow to digital ownership

With the rise of digital media, ownership of games, books, and music has shifted dramatically from the days of physical copies. In a recent move, Amazon has removed the ability to download and transfer purchased books from the Kindle store, further restricting user control over their digital libraries.

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Credit: Amazon

As reported by The Verge, the change took effect on February 26. Previously, Kindle users could download purchased books as files for use on a PC or other devices. Following the update, users can still transfer files from their computer to a Kindle, but can no longer download fresh copies of purchased books directly from Amazon's store.

Amazon responded to the change, emphasizing that purchases will remain accessible through its ecosystem:

"Customers can continue reading books previously downloaded on their Kindle device, and access new content through the Kindle app, Kindle for web, as well as directly through Kindle devices with Wi-Fi capability," said Amazon spokesperson Jackie Burke.

However, this move reinforces an unsettling trend - companies selling digital content as if it's owned while retaining control over access. Even though users pay for these products, they don't truly own them in the traditional sense.

This issue extends beyond books. In 2023, Ubisoft faced backlash for attempting to revoke Assassin's Creed Liberation HD on Steam, and Nintendo's Wii U and 3DS eShop shutdown erased countless digital-only titles. The same pattern exists in film, with Sony removing purchased movies from PlayStation users' libraries in Germany and Austria due to expiring licensing agreements.

Amazon's Kindle restriction adds to a growing list of digital content limitations across industries. As companies continue to control access to purchased media, consumers are left dependent on platform policies that can change at any time.