Should it be legal to resell e-books ?

With e-book reselling heading to the EU Court of Justice, we examine the complexities of the law.

by David Meyer - May 26, 2016  - arstechnica UK

  

One of the most interesting questions in the world of modern entertainment may soon be pondered at Europe's top court: can people resell the e-books that they buy?

This question is vital in the digital era, and relevant not just to the world of book publishing, but also the realms of music, film, and games. You're able to resell the CDs and DVDs that you buy, so why can't you do the same with downloaded copies of albums and movies?

The case involves a Dutch second-hand e-book platform called Tom Kabinet, which took a previous ruling by the European Court of Justice, involving second-hand software, as the go-ahead for its own business model. Since 2014, Tom Kabinet has been at war with the Dutch Publishers Association (NUV), which sees it as a threat to the entire book industry.
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