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Originally Posted by HarryT
Is this anything to do with the law?
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Yes, because the "Doctrine of First Sale" in US law says you're allowed to resell copyrighted content (not extra copies, obviously, but your own copy). There has been considerable speculation that even the software EULA agreements may not be legal, and they can involve patents as well as copyrights.
There are cases where it's not legal for someone to give up rights as part of a contract. As a condition of employment in the US, sometimes employers will try to force a "non-competitive" clause on employees. Generally these don't hold up in court. The right to seek employment isn't one that can be signed away as part of a contract.
We can argue the ethics as a matter of opinion, and I know your opinion on this and mine are not in agreement. But the law is determined by the courts, and this is a case that hasn't yet been tested fully. Neither of us knows the answer (and the answer would quite possibly differ in our respective countries, as well.)