The Copyright Conundrum

[ownedbycats]

This copyright notice I saw in book:

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Which makes me wonder exactly how I am supposed to "read the text of this ebook on screen" WITHOUT down-loading it or introducing it into an information storage and retrieval system (my Kobo's internal storage).

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

This copyright notice I saw in book:



Which makes me wonder exactly how I am supposed to "read the text of this ebook on screen" WITHOUT down-loading it or introducing it into an information storage and retrieval system (my Kobo's internal storage).

The important bit is "without the express written permission of HarperCollins."

As you have "been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen", you have their express written permission.

[Quoth]

Copyright is ultimately about who has the right to make and distribute copies. Any additional random stuff put in a copyright notice may not be enforceable, and in any case a civil suit would have to be taken. A civil copyright suit penalty is based of estimated loss to the copyright holder.

So if you aren't distributing copies (free or paid, by any means) you don't need to worry. Also it's been established in various countries that contract (i.e. you bought something) Terms and Conditions only visible after you've bought/opened a product may be unenforceable.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The important bit is "without the express written permission of HarperCollins."

As you have "been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen", you have their express written permission.

But it says...

]By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen.

That to me means that you can only read this. And that you have to use ypur Reader t download it directly to the Reader only. However, I really think that may be unenforceable.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That to me means that you can only read this. And that you have to use ypur Reader t download it directly to the Reader only. However, I really think that may be unenforceable.

It's never going to be enforced as they lose no money when you read it on a different ereader, but never give it to someone else. They can only take a civil court case which would cost them a fortune and they'd likely lose. Even if they won (unlikely) they could only get the loss of profit on a 2nd copy.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Quoth

It's never going to be enforced as they lose no money when you read it on a different ereader, but never give it to someone else. They can only take a civil court case which would cost them a fortune and they'd likely lose. Even if they won (unlikely) they could only get the loss of profit on a 2nd copy.

I think it's less aobut them not losing money, and more about them having absolutely no way to know.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by meeera

I think it's less aobut them not losing money, and more about them having absolutely no way to know.

That's 100% true, but even if they did know it would be useless information.