Yahoo has announced plans to close its music store effective September 30, 2008. After that date, consumers that switch computers will lose their music since the DRM license key server will move offline. Yet another example of how the combination of DRM and Bill C-61 represents a huge loss for consumers.
Yahoo’s Music Store Closing, Locking Consumers Out Of Their Music
July 25, 2008
Share this post
7 Comments
Law Bytes
Episode 200: Colin Bennett on the EU’s Surprising Adequacy Finding on Canadian Privacy Law
byMichael Geist
April 22, 2024
Michael Geist
April 15, 2024
Michael Geist
April 8, 2024
Michael Geist
March 25, 2024
Michael Geist
March 18, 2024
Michael Geist
Search Results placeholder
Recent Posts
- The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 200: Colin Bennett on the EU’s Surprising Adequacy Finding on Canadian Privacy Law
- Debating the Online Harms Act: Insights from Two Recent Panels on Bill C-63
- The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 199: Boris Bytensky on the Criminal Code Reforms in the Online Harms Act
- AI Spending is Not an AI Strategy: Why the Government’s Artificial Intelligence Plan Avoids the Hard Governance Questions
- The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 198: Richard Moon on the Return of the Section 13 Hate Speech Provision in the Online Harms Act
Contacted my MP
I’ve already contacted my rural-Alberta MP with this example of how the non-circumvention lines in Bill C-61 will hurt consumers. Unfortunately, for these “conservatives”, it appears that “free-market” means creating laws to protect big-business from the consumers.
This Bill is not conservative and does not promote a free-market in the least.
Accountability
You mean all of those records, tapes, discs I bought from Sam the Record Man can’t be played anymore? Oh, wait, sorry, wrong generation.
I wonder what’s behind the closing. Could it be that the cost of maintaining DRM servers and the music service itself out weigh the profit?
It would be nice to have a reason for shutting down the service, but I guess that’s too difficult to do in this day and age of non accountability when it comes to corporations.
MCE:
The reason for the shutdown is very likely due to a lack of sales. Yahoo’s music service never really took off. I guess on the plus side, not too many will be affected.
Still, make a statement: never buy DRM-protected media.
@ Jorvay
DRM protection is an insult to me as a programmer and avid music listener. Restrictive Software licenses in general should be done away with. I’m not giving a company money so they can tell me how to live my life.
Merger
Jorvay:
I would imagine that’s the case. However, I read a letter sent to Yahoo! Music customers, which may explain a little more. Here’s an excerpt:
“Stay tuned! While the Yahoo! Music Unlimited Store will no longer be available, Yahoo! Music has partnered with Rhapsody so you can still purchase your favorite tracks.”
As it stands not only are consumers bound by contracts which allow their access to media they have paid for to be removed at any time. Unless I am mistaken, the consumer has virtually no guaranteed access rights what so ever and as result no media access is required by law.
And worse Bill 61 denies consumers their rights to migrate media or choose their means of accessing media. Combined with access denying contracts, this bill effectively allows consumers to be denied access to media. This denied access to media creates media monopolies.
As it stands bill 61 only provides the ability to prevent media access and does not provide consumers assured access to media.
Next to fall sooner or later
First MS
Then Yahoo
next up Apple
??? or chose your own drmed to crap music service