When you click Buy on a movie or show online, you are almost always getting a license to watch it, not true ownership. A new lawsuit says Amazon presents that transaction as a purchase while tucking the license disclosure in hard to notice fine print. California now has a law that requires stores to clearly say when something is only a license. What happens next could ripple across every major digital storefront.
What the new lawsuit says
A proposed class action filed in the Western District of Washington argues that Amazon’s Buy label misleads people into thinking they own a permanent copy. According to the complaint, the confirmation screen uses the word Buy up front while a small note later clarifies that you receive only a license and must accept terms that can change. The suit calls that a bait and switch and asks the court to award damages and force clearer disclosures.
Why this matters to your library
Licenses can change. If a platform loses rights to a specific cut of a film, your version can swap for another. If a platform loses rights to the entire title, it can vanish from your library. That is normal under most store terms, but it is not how many people understand the word buy. The gap between what stores intend and what customers expect is the heart of this case.
The law just shifted in California
California’s Assembly Bill 2426 took effect on January 1, 2025. It says a company cannot market a transaction as a purchase unless it provides unrestricted ownership. If the company is offering only a license, it must say so clearly at the point of sale and get the buyer to acknowledge it. The law grew out of years of frustration from consumers who saw games and videos pulled after shutdowns or lapsed rights.
The gamer spark that lit the fire
In 2024 and 2025, players learned that purchased online games could be deactivated when servers shut down. The Stop Killing Games campaign pushed regulators and lawmakers to protect buyers and preserve access. While this Amazon suit is about video and television, the same tension applies across digital stores that sell licenses under a buy button.
What could change
If the plaintiffs win or settle, Amazon may need to change labels, placement, and consent flows for Prime Video purchases. Other platforms could follow to avoid similar suits. California’s law already pressures national stores to adjust their checkout language for all customers rather than run separate designs by state. Expect clearer side by side language like Buy a license to watch and Own a permanent copy for any store that ever offers full ownership.
What you can do right now
- Read the fine print on the purchase page before you click. Look for words like license, access, and availability may change.
- Download a local copy if the store allows it with no time limit and keep a backup.
- If a title matters to you long term, consider a physical copy. Discs are not trendy, but they are simple and they work without a terms of service.
- Track your digital libraries. If a title disappears, ask the store for a refund or credit and document the removal with screenshots.
- In California and anywhere similar laws land, look for a clear acknowledgement box that says you are buying a license. If it is missing, save the receipt and page view.
The bigger picture
The industry built a generation of digital stores around speed and convenience. Courts and lawmakers are catching up to the reality that words matter. If buy means license in one part of a platform and true ownership in another, the label needs to be plain and consistent. Clear, honest language will not stop titles from rotating off services, but it will help people understand what they are paying for.
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