EFF's guide to e-book buying & privacy

grimo1re · 12-22-2009, 02:45 AM

I guess EFF likes Sony! Full article here.

Terisa de morgan · 12-22-2009, 03:25 AM

Sorry, the way the second line is written for Sony and the rest of the places makes I discard the info (or at least I don't really believe). Furthermore, lines 4, 5 and 6 are not right if you buy at Sony Store.

Krystian Galaj · 12-22-2009, 07:41 AM

Why is 'yes' in green and 'no' in red? Do they support monitoring of what users buy and read?

vivaldirules · 12-22-2009, 08:03 AM

This strikes me as inaccurate and slanted. Sony, like any online vendor, has the ability to track sales by customer. And I'll bet I consented to their ability to sell that info to third parties, too. You can even see that they maintain that history so that you can download books again after they screw you over and switch ebook formats to epub despite your objections.

Anyway, how is that any different from Amazon except that some of the books you've bought from Amazon are purchased directly from the ebook reader. I don't get it.

joblack · 12-22-2009, 08:11 AM

Amazon is a privacy hell. They recently blocked a customer account because the boy friend of his daughter (she's already 30 years old) hasn' t payed everything on Amazon yet (source: German c't Magazin).

Some kind of group punishment - I'm wondering what they will check next.

Kali Yuga · 12-22-2009, 09:26 AM

Seems like EFF may need to update this for the new Sony wireless device.

I also find it a tad surprising that they didn't include "ability of retailer to remove content from device." (I don't think this is a huge deal, but some people -- particularly the EFF's constituency -- does, as far as I can tell.) We already know Amazon can do this; it's unclear if the nook, Sony wireless and Google books are capable of this, or could be forced to do so based on legal actions.

rcuadro · 12-22-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joblack

Amazon is a privacy hell. They recently blocked a customer account because the boy friend of his daughter (she's already 30 years old) hasn' t payed everything on Amazon yet (source: German c't Magazin).

Some kind of group punishment - I'm wondering what they will check next.

Why is this bad? If my daughter was on my account and her boyfriend failed to pay for something, I am still liable for the account.

pilotbob · 12-22-2009, 09:47 AM

It seems to me that for the Sony column question two and three should be Yes since the assumption for Kindle is that you purchase all your books from Amazon the same should be assumed for Sony.

Also, all the question which say N/A for Sony should also be specified once again assuming use of the Sony eBook store via their software.

My respect for the EFF has gone down several points in my estimation after seeing this.

BOb

wayrad · 12-22-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joblack

Amazon is a privacy hell. They recently blocked a customer account because the boy friend of his daughter (she's already 30 years old) hasn' t payed everything on Amazon yet (source: German c't Magazin).

Did the boyfriend buy the unpaid-for books on the daughter's account, or the father's, or his own? I'd expect the primary account holder to be responsible for making sure the bill is paid.

kennyc · 12-22-2009, 10:14 AM

I think this is a bit misleading, skewed, or simply incorrect. Hopefully they will update it soon.

DawnFalcon · 12-22-2009, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcuadro

Why is this bad? If my daughter was on my account and her boyfriend failed to pay for something, I am still liable for the account.

A different account, same address. When Amazon block accounts, they then go ahead and block any account which might possibly be associated with the blocked one.

ayrkain · 12-22-2009, 10:47 AM

Well, I really like my Sony Reader, but that column needs updating based on whatever policies Sony uses for the PRS-900. Also, should be pointed out that you can do without store-bought ebooks in more cases than just the offline readers.

rhadin · 12-22-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

It seems to me that for the Sony column question two and three should be Yes since the assumption for Kindle is that you purchase all your books from Amazon the same should be assumed for Sony.

I don't know this to be true, but it seems to me that the difference is that Sony can only track what you have bought from Sony but not what you buy, say, from Fictionwise and load on to the device using Calibre. OTOH, Amazon can track everything that is placed on the Kindle.

Granted that this may change with the Sony 900, but perhaps not.

kennyc · 12-22-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

... OTOH, Amazon can track everything that is placed on the Kindle.

..

Not true if you never enable wireless.

pilotbob · 12-22-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

I don't know this to be true, but it seems to me that the difference is that Sony can only track what you have bought from Sony but not what you buy, say, from Fictionwise and load on to the device using Calibre. OTOH, Amazon can track everything that is placed on the Kindle..

"Can" and "Do" are two different things. Does Amazon track every file you put on your Kindle? They either do or they don't.

Of course with the Sony 900 they "can" do this too.

BOb

12-22-2009, 02:45 AM	#1
grimo1re Geekette Posts: 435 Karma: 3335 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NSW, Australia Device: Sony Reader PRS500, PocketBook 360	EFF's guide to e-book buying & privacy I guess EFF likes Sony! Full article here.

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12-22-2009, 03:25 AM	#2
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,227 Karma: 11768331 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	Sorry, the way the second line is written for Sony and the rest of the places makes I discard the info (or at least I don't really believe). Furthermore, lines 4, 5 and 6 are not right if you buy at Sony Store.

12-22-2009, 07:41 AM	#3
Krystian Galaj Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 11012 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: Bookeen Cybook	Why is 'yes' in green and 'no' in red? Do they support monitoring of what users buy and read?

12-22-2009, 08:03 AM	#4
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	This strikes me as inaccurate and slanted. Sony, like any online vendor, has the ability to track sales by customer. And I'll bet I consented to their ability to sell that info to third parties, too. You can even see that they maintain that history so that you can download books again after they screw you over and switch ebook formats to epub despite your objections. Anyway, how is that any different from Amazon except that some of the books you've bought from Amazon are purchased directly from the ebook reader. I don't get it.

12-22-2009, 08:11 AM	#5
joblack Wizard Posts: 1,745 Karma: 4382514 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somewhere on earth Device: Onyx Boox Tab X	Amazon is a privacy hell. They recently blocked a customer account because the boy friend of his daughter (she's already 30 years old) hasn' t payed everything on Amazon yet (source: German c't Magazin). Some kind of group punishment - I'm wondering what they will check next.

12-22-2009, 09:26 AM	#6
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	Seems like EFF may need to update this for the new Sony wireless device. I also find it a tad surprising that they didn't include "ability of retailer to remove content from device." (I don't think this is a huge deal, but some people -- particularly the EFF's constituency -- does, as far as I can tell.) We already know Amazon can do this; it's unclear if the nook, Sony wireless and Google books are capable of this, or could be forced to do so based on legal actions.

12-22-2009, 09:47 AM	#8
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	It seems to me that for the Sony column question two and three should be Yes since the assumption for Kindle is that you purchase all your books from Amazon the same should be assumed for Sony. Also, all the question which say N/A for Sony should also be specified once again assuming use of the Sony eBook store via their software. My respect for the EFF has gone down several points in my estimation after seeing this. BOb

12-22-2009, 10:14 AM	#10
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I think this is a bit misleading, skewed, or simply incorrect. Hopefully they will update it soon.

12-22-2009, 10:47 AM	#12
ayrkain Speira Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: PRS-505 / iPhone 3GS	Well, I really like my Sony Reader, but that column needs updating based on whatever policies Sony uses for the PRS-900. Also, should be pointed out that you can do without store-bought ebooks in more cases than just the offline readers.

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