Amazon are changing the way you own your Kindle books - you have 10 days to react
Key points from the YouTube video about Amazon Kindle book access changes:
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Amazon is removing the ability to download purchased Kindle books to a PC or Mac after February 26th. Currently, users can download their books to their computers for offline access and backup. This will no longer be possible.
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This change impacts ownership and control of digital content. The speaker argues this move diminishes the consumer’s ownership of their purchased books, shifting the power dynamic further towards Amazon. The ability to download books is a crucial aspect of truly owning them, separate from Amazon’s ecosystem.
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This isn’t a minor change; it’s significant for long-term Kindle users. The speaker highlights the risk of losing access to books if the Amazon account is deleted or if Amazon removes the books from their store (as has happened in the past). They also mention instances of books being silently re-edited and updated without user consent.
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The change completely ties users to the Amazon ecosystem. Deleting your Amazon account will result in losing access to your Kindle library unless you’ve already downloaded the books to your computer.
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The speaker urges users to download their Kindle books before February 26th. This involves going to “Manage Your Content and Devices” on the Amazon website, individually selecting each book, and downloading it. It’s a time-consuming process, but highly recommended.
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The speaker questions Amazon’s rationale for this change. They suggest it’s a move to further control the user experience and strengthen Amazon’s hold on its customer base, potentially without significant resource expenditure on Amazon’s part.
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The speaker expresses concern about Amazon’s increasing control over digital content ownership. The video encourages viewers to consider the implications of this change and whether it represents an overreach of power by Amazon.