eBook DRM Debate

Discussions center on Digital Rights Management (DRM) in eBooks from platforms like Amazon Kindle, Apple, and others, including availability of DRM-free options, methods to strip DRM, and user advocacy for DRM-free purchases to ensure true ownership.

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Keywords

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Sample Comments

Wowfunhappy Nov 4, 2022 View on HN

DRM-free eBooks do exist, don't lump them all together!

guidoism Jun 1, 2020 View on HN

The books are still DRMd so it's not as crazy as one might expect.

wmf Feb 4, 2014 View on HN

If Kindle, Apple, Google, or Kobo don't use this DRM, who's left? Is there a story here?

stavros Sep 27, 2025 View on HN

They let you download books with no DRM (or with DRM that works with any reader)?

rolobio Sep 3, 2023 View on HN

This is correct. My answer is simply to not buy any Kindle books. In the future, I may buy some again if I can strip DRM.

romwell Oct 5, 2020 View on HN

The books you buy on Amazon have Amazon DRM.Unless you strip the DRM, you don't own the books.

vsl Apr 5, 2019 View on HN

Publishers can request DRM-free regime. Tor does on both Amazon and iBooks as a matter of policy, there are others.

db48x Mar 22, 2017 View on HN

Just strip the DRM from your ebooks when you buy them; then nobody can take them away from you.

noste Oct 23, 2012 View on HN

At least some books mention that "At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied." in the book description field. For example: http://www.amazon.com/Pirate-Cinema-ebook/dp/B0089LOEBS/ref=...

skookumchuck May 25, 2019 View on HN

I don't buy DRM-encumbered ebooks. Sorry, Amazon. I buy the hardcopy if there are no DRM-free ebooks.