mark’lectic

Google Gets Bored Selling Videos, Customers screwed

Google launched Google Videos a year ago and started selling TV episodes and other videos. It was never very popular and, even then, there were complaints about Google’s use of Digital Restrictions Management technologies applied to the videos you bought.

Well now it seems Google has become bored with being in the online video downloads business and has decided to shutdown. Fine, they have every right to shut down an unpopular service.

However, what I’m sure nobody realized when they bought a video from Google is that, now that Google is going to stop “selling” videos, all of the videos that they already own will stop working.

Google’s letter to customers says: “After August 15, 2007, you will no longer be able to view your purchased or rented videos.”

Now, I may be old fashioned, but when I purchase something, I usually expect to have the use of it until I either sell it, give it away. I’m sure Google wrote a EULA for their video sales that claims to give them the right to do this, but I’d love to see them challenged in court over this.

Imagine if, whenever Ford discontinued a car model, everyone who owns that model got a letter telling them their car will no longer start after August 15.