While eating a croissant and admiring the pretty lights of Paris (on vacation
) and wandering through these boards...it suddenly occurs to me I'm in a different (book publishing) geographical location.
I've moved out of my normal Geography (the USA), to Europe. That means different books are in the Public Domain.
It also occurs to me to wonder about the ethics of taking advantage of that Public Domain. Am I entitled to use European versions of Project Gutenberg (or other, similar sites)? Am I entitled to download only as many books as I could actually read while here? Am I entitled to download the entire European archive as long as I do it while physically in Europe on a European IP (no 'sneaking back later' to get something I've forgotten)? If I bring these theoretical ebooks back into the US, am I importing a restricted product? Would any government agency expect me to report them, at least in theory? Are there any US or EU laws that cover this situation specific to digital media?
Similar questions might apply if I was able to buy ebooks while in Europe, but I have no idea how to prove a Paris "presence". They could certainly be added into the already speculative mix for people with multiple homes/apartments or other recorded residences. If I bought $800+ worth of ebooks while here, would US customs expect me to report it on my customs form when I fly back into the US?
It seems like it could be an interesting topic, if nothing else looking at geo-restrictions from a different angle. Is there a way to make geo-restrictions less restrictive if you're a globe-trotter?