[sf-lug] [Fwd: [FSF] Amazon, 1984, and what we're doing about it.]

[jim]

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: Holmes Wilson <campaigns at fsf.org>
To: info-member at gnu.org
Subject: [FSF] Amazon, 1984, and what we're doing about it.
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:37:21 -0400

Dear FSF member,

Have you seen this story?  Last week, Amazon deleted purchased copies of
George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm from the ebook readers of hundreds
of users.  Yesterday, FSF's Defective by Design campaign responded by
giving the Kindle hundreds of 1-star reviews, but now we need your help.

Can you share our campaign on Identi.ca and Reddit?

http://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1248
http://www.reddit.com/r/gnu/comments/93608/amazon_can_delete_your_books/

This occasion marks the relaunch of our Defective by Design Amazon
tagging campaign, and we couldn't have picked a better target. New York
Times tech writer David Pogue summarizes it best:

"This morning, hundreds of Amazon Kindle owners awoke to discover that
books by a certain famous author had mysteriously disappeared from their
e-book readers. These were books that they had bought and paid
for—thought they owned .... You want to know the best part? The juicy,
plump, dripping irony? The author who was the victim of this Big
Brotherish plot was none other than George Orwell. And the books were
'1984' and 'Animal Farm.'"

Read more: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1248
http://www.reddit.com/r/gnu/comments/93608/amazon_can_delete_your_books/

Amazon's use of DRM and proprietary software gives them total control
over the books on every user's Kindle.  And the fact that we're talking
something as personal as a book on your virtual bookshelf reminds us
that basic freedoms we've taken for granted are threatened as soon as we
depend on DRM-laden devices and proprietary software.

You can join in the action too, helping us save potential Kindle buyers
from being Swindled, on Amazon's own site.  We'll be tagging the Kindle
as "defective by design" and "1984", and we'll be writing persuasive,
honest, 1-star reviews.  Instructions on how to participate here:

http://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1248

Help us reach our goal of 1,984 reviews!

Over the coming weeks, we'll be selecting more DRM-infected products for
the tags and the 1-star reviews they deserve.  We're looking for hot new
products, or products that make particularly appalling use of DRM.  If
you'd like to suggest one, email us at info at defectivebydesign.org.

We'd also like to invite you to participate in the campaign.  We won't
usually be sending these messages to the info-member list, so if you'd
like to be part of this ongoing campaign to inform the public and tip
the scales against DRM, join the Defective by Design list, here:

http://www.defectivebydesign.org/user/register

Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,
John, Matt, Holmes, Sarah, and Peter
DRM Elimination Team