Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over Digital Movie Purchases: False Advertising Claims

Amazon is currently embroiled in a legal battle over the ownership of digital movies, following allegations of false advertising. The controversy erupted after a tweet by Rob Freund (@RobertFreundLaw) highlighted the issue on March 17. Freund's tweet questioned whether customers truly "own" the digital movies they purchase on Amazon, especially when these movies can be removed from the library once Amazon's license expires.

Freund's tweet, which has garnered significant attention with over 2,374 reposts, 224 quotes, 13.2K likes, and 695 bookmarks, states, "If you 'buy' a digital movie on Amazon, but Amazon removes the movie from its library when Amazon's license expires, did you really buy it? Amazon faces a false advertising class action about this issue, and today, it lost its motion to dismiss the case."

The tweet has sparked a heated debate among users, with many expressing concerns about the implications of Amazon's practices. One user commented, "I've just noticed on my Kindle it now says, 'You've borrowed this title,' where it used to say, 'you own this title.'" Another user voiced their fears about the future of digital media, stating, "The whole owning vs renting thing aside, this also scares me how much media we’re eventually just going to start losing as one at a time, companies decide to pull it from their libraries for whatever reason."

The legal document associated with the case, labeled "Case 2:22-cv-00401-RSM Document 83 Filed 03/15/24 Page 3 of 10," reveals that plaintiffs allege injury at the time of purchase. They argue that they would not have "overpaid" for the digital content if they had known they were only purchasing a limited license.

Some users have expressed their discontent with the current state of digital media ownership. One user mentioned, "Your entire Steam library could go up in smoke overnight because you don’t own any games. You’ve bought a license to play." Another user added, "Buy physical whenever possible. If only purchasable in digital, then use alternatives."

This lawsuit raises critical questions about the nature of digital purchases and the transparency of online marketplaces like Amazon. As the case progresses, it will be essential to monitor the developments and understand the potential ramifications for consumers and the digital media industry.