Do you misrepresent your address to buy ebooks?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Bittybye

I honestly don't understand why publishers geo restrict. It just pushes people (who would ordinarily pay for the boo) to the darknet. Could anyone explain why they do this?

It's not publishers who geo-restrict - it's authors. An author can, generally speaking, get more money by signing a separate deal with a US and a UK publisher, for example, than by assigning the rights for both regions to a single publisher.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by VicLavigne

Living in the US, you wouldn't think we'd need to do this. But there's certainly ebooks available in the UK that are not available in the US, so a big YES, I'm guilty of faking addresses. Bought about 9 ebooks from the UK that were absolutely not available in the US.

There are a hell of a lot of eBooks available in the UK but not the US. Eg, pretty much everything published by Arthur C. Clarke is available in the UK, but not the US, as are C.S. Forrester's "Hornblower" series, Colin Dexter's "Inspector Morse" books, and many of Ngaio Marsh's "Inspector Alleyn" novels.

[EowynCarter]

Only if i can't find it without geo-restriction somewhere. If a shop don't geo restrict me, they'll get the deal before the shop who does.

[AlexGrama]

I voted "No" but it occurred on several occasions that a book was unavailable in my country and I just had to misrepresent my address. Basically, no harm done.

[Kumabjorn]

Having been a long time Kindle owner I have - as a matter of convenience - purchased my e-books on Amazon.com. Since I have bought Sony Readers and studied under the good Apprentice by the name of Alf and learned how to change my IP at will, I have also discovered, somewhat to my dismay, that a lot of e-books are actually less pricey from UK retailers. However, they are under the same geo-restrictions as their US counterparts. Since I'm not in the UK, I can't purchase from them. But since I am an accomplished liar, I am capable of untrammeling myself from the shackles of the geo-Talibans. It is a sad day when you need lies to quench your thirst for words.

[jmaejr]

Given the general tone and flavor of these boards I am surprised that the 'No, I feel this is wrong' option is not close to 100%

For what it's worth I never give out 100% accurate, personal information on the Internet....

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jmaejr

Given the general tone and flavor of these boards I am surprised that the 'No, I feel this is wrong' option is not close to 100%

Why? People on this board are (on the whole) opposed to criminal acts. Lying about your location in order to buy an ebook is not a crime.

[bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's not publishers who geo-restrict - it's authors. An author can, generally speaking, get more money by signing a separate deal with a US and a UK publisher, for example, than by assigning the rights for both regions to a single publisher.

I know that's the current line, but it doesn't explain why us anglophones living just across the Channel in France can't buy anything these days from UK e-booksellers.

I've got no objection to paying French VAT (which just dropped to 7% from 19.6%), but none of the UK booksellers will sell to me (including Amazon.co.uk, which does have the software to charge the appropriate VAT, since they do so on all my other Amazon purchases).

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why? People on this board are (on the whole) opposed to criminal acts. Lying about your location in order to buy an ebook is not a crime.

(devil's advocate)
Isn't it fraud?
You are entering into a contract and deliberately providing false information.

UK Fraud Act 2006

The Act gives a statutory definition of the criminal offence of fraud, defining it in three classes - fraud by false representation, fraud by failing to disclose information, and fraud by abuse of position. It provides that a person found guilty of fraud was liable to a fine or imprisonment for up to twelve months on summary conviction (six months in Northern Ireland), or a fine or imprisonment for up to ten years on conviction on indictment.[...]

"Fraud by false representation" is defined by Section 2 of the Act as a case where a person makes "any representation as to fact or law ... express or implied" which they know to be untrue or misleading.

"Fraud by failing to disclose information" is defined by Section 3 of the Act as a case where a person fails to disclose any information to a third party when they are under a legal duty to disclose such information.

"Fraud by abuse of position" is defined by Section 4 of the Act as a case where a person occupies a position where they are expected to safeguard the financial interests of another person, and abuses that position; this includes cases where the abuse consisted of an omission rather than an overt act.

In all three classes of fraud, it requires that for an offence to have occurred, the person must have acted dishonestly, and that they had to have acted with the intent of making a gain for themselves or anyone else, or inflicting a loss (or a risk of loss) on another.

You've either gained access to something which wouldn't have been available in your geography, or gained it for less money that you would otherwise have paid.

[ProfCrash]

Yes it is a violation of the Terms of Service. Anyone caught could lose access to their account and their e-books.

The way I look at it is simply this. If the bookstore can legally sell me the paper book it should be able to sell me the e-book. For silly reasons, which are no fault of the bookstore, there are times that the bookstore cannot sell me the e-book.

I can choose to accept that some how an e-book is different then a paper book and say "Well, that sucks. I guess I won't read that book." or I can say "Since they won't sell it to me I will pirate it." Both are unacceptable options, for me. I think that a book is a book is a book and could care less about the format. If the store can sell me the paper book than I should be able to buy the e-book. I don't believe in pirating other peoples work, I think authors should be paid.

So that leaves me with a third choice, lying about my address in order to purchase a book that is available in another country but not my own.

I honestly think that most of the bookstores think all of this is silly which is why it is so easy to get around geo restrictions. I think most publishers and authors think it is silly which is why no one seems to be open in arms over this. As long as they are being paid, why would they care that we are cheating the system?

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why? People on this board are (on the whole) opposed to criminal acts. Lying about your location in order to buy an ebook is not a crime.

No, but lying is morally wrong. Breaking a law do not have to be morally wrong.

[Quake1028]

No, I've never needed to, but would if necessary

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by tompe

No, but lying is morally wrong. Breaking a law do not have to be morally wrong.

When using a VPN your browser actually is in another country. No need to lie . And if you want to be a stickler, you can even get a US credit card and mailing address from the likes of USunlocked.

Besides, if I tell my wife "your hair looks nice today" when it does not -- am I doing something morally wrong?

[Xanthe]

Another "public" poll here about a topic that can be viewed as an illegal activity, asking people to self-identify themselves as participants in such activity.

Is it so difficult, I wonder, to create one of these polls without asking people to identify themselves by their board name? Why are people being asked to identify themselves as violators of Terms of Service or, in a previous poll, of pirating ebooks? If someone is interested in how many people participate in an activity that others might deem illegal, why not create an anonymous poll, so folks can respond honestly and freely - and without potential repercussions?

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There are a hell of a lot of eBooks available in the UK but not the US. Eg, pretty much everything published by Arthur C. Clarke is available in the UK, but not the US, as are C.S. Forrester's "Hornblower" series, Colin Dexter's "Inspector Morse" books, and many of Ngaio Marsh's "Inspector Alleyn" novels.

For Arthur C Clarke and Ngaio Marsh books the current US publisher's contracts predate ebooks. And they evidently don't have ebook rights.

However, after 10 years it looks like Marsh's books are now starting to appear in print with one or two available in ebook form with a new publisher.