US iTunes Store closing down for the outside world?
Looks like Apple is starting to hunt down those pesky guys and girls who are accessing the US iTunes Store from abroad. These (parts) are the updated Terms of Sale you just accepted – probably without reading them – while trying to buy something from their store:
U.S. SALES ONLY
Purchases or rentals (as applicable) from the iTunes Store are available to you only in the United States and are not available in any other location. You agree not to use or attempt to use the iTunes Store from outside of the available territory. Apple may use technologies to verify such compliance.
I really think Apple gives a sh*t about where they sell their stuff to. It sure smells like the entertainment industry is at it – again. Everyone is talking about “globalization” and a “global economy”, but they come along with stupid things like this.
Global economy my rear if I can’t legally download a song or movie from outside the country I’m currently in! In case you’re wondering: yes, the same applies to Hulu.
All these tricks, like locating you based on your IP, can be fooled using a simple VPN. I’m currently thinking about (read: not using!) something that uses the Amazon’s EC2 to appear as being in Redmond, Washington (last time I checked) or wherever the data center is located. Of course there are already easier things out there, none of which I will mention here, but a simple Google search will get you there.
Entertainment industry: why are you trying to destroy your business? Why are you targetting the normal user with things like this. If people want to get your content they will get it, but you probably won’t get paid for it.
Apple: If you start to enforce this, you have lost (at least) one paying customer.
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Tags: apple, itunes, random rant, tech/geek
May 12th, 2009 at 09:20
Hi. I know friends that buy US iTunes stuff from Australia. Maybe it will stop one day.
I agree , it is the entertainment industry wanting it but so does Apple, that way they can force higher prices on us all. Just like how Apple forces high prices in Australia for their computers compared with the US.
January 1st, 2010 at 11:24
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had an iTunes account for years when I was in the US, but now I’m working and living in Taiwan. I’d really like to download music and rent videos legally; however, iTunes says I can’t.
You hit the nail on the head when you wrote, “If people want to get your content they will get it, but you probably won’t get paid for it.” Is Apple really so naïve that they don’t realize this?
Well, after I post this rant, I’m uninstalling iTunes. One more customer they’ve lost.