New Class Action Lawsuit: You Don’t Own the Movie You Bought

Movie and TV show purchases online aren’t quite what they seem. When you hit that “buy” button, you’re not actually getting ownership of the title, but rather, a limited-time license to watch it. Let’s say you snag that $4.99 director’s cut of Alien on Amazon Prime Video. Seems like a steal, right? But if Amazon loses the rights to that cut, they can swap it out for a different version, like the theatrical one. And if they lose the rights to the film entirely, it’s gone from your library.

So, is it fair for Amazon to call it a “purchase” when you’re really just renting a movie? That’s a big question on the table, and some folks decided to take it to court.

A class action lawsuit was recently filed against Amazon in Washington federal court, calling out what’s been described as a “bait and switch” tactic. The claim is that Amazon is fooling consumers into thinking they’re buying content when they’re only getting a license, which could be yanked away at any moment.

This issue gained attention back in 2023 when gamers realized they’d lose access to The Crew once Ubisoft pulled the plug on the game servers. That sparked the “Stop Killing Games” movement, aiming to prevent publishers from taking away games that players thought they owned.

The way digital transactions are set up, along with the murky waters of streaming, is making physical media look pretty good again. DVDs may be making a comeback because they give you the surety that you can watch your favorite movies whenever you want, without worrying about licenses expiring.