Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

List of products and services with post-purchase license change

2025-08-26T21:39:15Z

Determined1: added a section for teamviewer

{{StubNotice}}

Lifetime licenses (also known as perpetual licenses, or one-time purchases) are granted for software that many consumers and businesses rely upon daily for the simple fact that it is more affordable in the long-term for these products and services. As subscription-based products have become more favorable for investors among various companies,<ref>{{Cite web |last=The ProValet Team |date=Oct 16, 2024 |title=Subscription vs. One-Time Purchase: Which Saves You More Money? |url=https://www.provalet.io/guides-posts/subscription-vs-one-time-purchase |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=ProValet}}</ref> many are forced outside of the licenses that they expected were theirs to own as-is following the terminology of "lifetime." The removal of these licenses combat the consumers' [[right to own]] the products that they paid for.

==Why it is a problem==

===Right to Own===
The sale of these licenses are made with the expectation that the purchaser will forever retain access to this license. When these are revoked among a litany of reasons, via a multitude of methods, such as discontinuing the software or [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively amending the agreement]], it defies the [[Right to own|right to ownership]].

===Viability===
The viability of a lifetime license is dependent on the product's operational costs and its monetization plan.

Products that require recurring operational costs for their necessary advertised functions (backend service upkeep, staff involvement, etc.) can't function on their own without income. Lifetime license users may be serviced at a loss compared to subscription-based users who meet the recurring revenue operational cost demand. The price difference between a lifetime license and a subscription-based license only offsets the threshold of when a lifetime subscription customer becomes unprofitable to service.

==Examples==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Company Name
!Product(s)
!Year of Removal
!Summary
!Relevant Article(s)
|-
|[[Adobe]]
|[[Photoshop]], [[Adobe Acrobat|Acrobat]], [[Adobe Firefly|Firefly]], [[Adobe Premiere|Premiere]], [[Adobe Creative Cloud|Creative Cloud]], etc
|2020-Now
|Adobe has been slowly revoking licenses across its product library that eliminate the ownership of the products that consumers and businesses have paid for.
|[[Adobe Lightroom: Perpetual to Subscription Transition]]
|-
|[[InfiniteQuant]]
|[[VPNSecure.me|VPNSecure]]
|2025
|After the company InfiniteQuant purchased VPNSecure, the company opted to revoke lifetime licenses that users had paid for
|[[VPNSecure.me terminated a "lifetime" license]]
|-
|[[Pluralsight]]
|[[Pluralsight]]
|2023-2025
|TBA
|[[Pluralsight revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Tansee]]
|[[Tansee]]
|2020
|TBA
|[[Tansee License Changed from Lifetime to 3 Years After Purchase]]
|-
|[[Malwarebytes]]
|[[Malwarebytes]]
|2014
|TBA
|TBA
|-
|[[Wondershare]]
|[[Filmora]]
|2022
|In 2022, Wondershare updated their licensing terms inside their EULA to mark all lifetime licenses as invalid;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Ernie |date=3 Jan 2023 |title=Filmora lifetime license controversy |url=https://midrange.tedium.co/issues/filmora-lifetime-license-controversy/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=MidRange}}</ref> in 2024, consumers sued over this revocation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCroskey |first=Kelsey |date=26 February 2024 |title=Wondershare Hit with Lawsuit Over Alleged Subscription Auto-Renewal Practices |url=https://www.classaction.org/news/wondershare-hit-with-lawsuit-over-alleged-subscription-auto-renewal-practices |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=ClassAction.org}}</ref>
|[[Filmora lifetime licenses terminated]]
|-
|[[Iconfactory]]
|[[Linea Sketch]]
|2020?
|In 2020,Iconfactory transitioned Linea Sketch into using a subscription model for users, and revoked licenses for V2 users who had automatic updates enabled on the iOS store.
|[[Linea Sketch revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Fongo Inc.]]
|Fongo
|2024
|In 2024, Fongo began switching licenses for Fongo's ad-free version from a one-time payment, to a subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 Apr 2024 |title=Fongo App - removing my “permanent ads removal” purchase |url=https://forums.redflagdeals.com/fongo-app-removing-my-c-permanent-ads-removal-c-purchase-2686747/ |url-status=live |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=RedFlagDeals}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheppard |first=Tom |date=10 Apr 2024 |title=Turns out that Fongo has joined the enshitification march and ad removal has changed to a subscription service with no notice, no warning in the update release notes, and no grandfathering existing customers. Are there any decent companies left? |url=https://twit.social/@TWSheppard/112243898338314374 |url-status=live |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=Mastodon}}</ref>
|[[Fongo changes purchased Lifetime Ad Removal to Monthly Subscription]]
[[FreePhoneLine revokes Lifetime VoIP service for monthly subscription model.]]
|-
|[[Autodesk]]
|[[AutoCAD]], [[Autodesk Inventor|Inventor]], etc.
|2023
|In 2016, Autodesk concluded the sale of lifetime licenses,<ref>{{Cite web |last=AutoCAD life time license |date=Jan 5, 2024 |title=AutoCAD life time license |url=https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/installation-licensing-forum/autocad-life-time-license/td-p/12480109 |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=[[Autodesk]] Community}}</ref> focusing exclusively on a subscription based model; In 2023, they [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively amended the agreement]] with the purpose of revoking lifetime licenses from all Autodesk users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ace_Dragon |date=Jul 1, 2023 |title=Autodesk changes the deal, retroactively cancels all remaining lifetime licenses |url=https://blenderartists.org/t/autodesk-changes-the-deal-retroactively-cancels-all-remaining-lifetime-licenses/1471477 |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=Blender Artists Community}}</ref>
|[[Autodesk retroactively revokes all lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[MediaMall]]
|[[PlayOn]]
|2021
|In 2021, PlayOn discontinued support for PlayOn Desktop,<ref>{{Cite web |last=JaviPlanma |date=Nov 8, 2021 |title=PSA to Companies: DO NOT OFFER LIFETIME LICENSES if you don't intend to follow through |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/PlayOn/comments/qpi14m/psa_to_companies_do_not_offer_lifetime_licenses/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref> which forced users to use PlayOn Home or PlayOn Cloud instead, both of which have no lifetime subscriptions.
|[[PlayOn Desktop discontinued]]
|-
|[[Mailbird]]
|[[Mailbird]]
|2025
|TBA<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raindog308 |date=Mar 10, 2025 |title=The Mailbird Scam: When a "Lifetime" License is Not Lifetime |url=https://lowendbox.com/blog/the-mailbird-scam-when-a-lifetime-license-is-not-lifetime/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |work=LowEndBox}}</ref>
|[[Mailbird revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Better Way Electronics]]
|Various [[PlayStation]] repair tools
|2024-2025
|TBA
|TBA
|-
|Magix
|Vegas 15
|2025
|Formerly sold under Sony, Magix has pulled Vegas 15 from Steam and has also revoked licenses
|https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxma1DxdvcvxPtveni0uDBqw403WSI7Dkn?si=SZtUOMc00x_xUV_x
|-
|[[TeamViewer]]
|[[TeamViewer]]
|2021-2025
|In 2021, TeamViewer got rid of the ability to purchase a lifetime license to use TeamViewer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-15 |title=Lifetime License ? - TeamViewer Support |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/113702/lifetime-license/p1?tab=all}}</ref>
In June 2025, TeamViewer killed off their lifetime licenses for all users, forcing them to pay for a monthly subscription or lose access.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-14 |title=TeamViewer and the "perpetual license" — paid like for a car, 10 years later they just cut you off |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/teamviewer/comments/1mq52pt/teamviewer_and_the_perpetual_license_paid_like/ |website=Reddit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 May 2025 |title=End of support for TeamViewer versions 11 and 12 |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/141015/end-of-support-for-teamviewer-versions-11-and-12/p1 |website=TeamViewer Community}}</ref>
|
|}

==See Also==

*[[Storefront shutdown]]
*[[Right to own|Right to own]]
*[[Retroactively amended purchase]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Theme]]
[[Category:Lifetime license removal]]

Microsoft Copilot's recall feature

2025-08-17T02:20:41Z

Determined1:

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Microsoft
|StartDate=2024-06
|Status=Active
|Product=Microsoft Copilot
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Privacy
|Description=Microsoft Recall collects screenshots of the user's computer every few seconds to be used by Copilot, Microsoft's AI.
}}{{Stub}}
Recall is a feature that takes screenshots of a users computer every few seconds to be used by Copilot, Microsoft's AI. It was initially impossible to remove from your computer and its screenshots were unencrypted.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=2024-09-27 |title=Microsoft’s more secure Windows Recall feature can also be uninstalled by users |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/27/24255721/microsoft-windows-recall-ai-security-improvements-overhaul-uninstall |url-status=live |website=The Verge}}</ref>

==Background==
In 2024, Microsoft unveiled Recall for Copilot+ PCs,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-01-25 |title=Competitive Processes, Anticompetitive Practices And Consumer Harm In The Software Industry: An Analysis Of The Inadequacies Of The Microsoft-Department Of Justice Proposed Final Judgment |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-processes-anticompetitive-practices-and-consumer-harm-software-industry-analysis |url-status=live |website=DOJ}}</ref> marketed as a way for users to search through what they have done on their computer by recording their screen. This sparked controversy,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allan |first=Darren |date=2024-05-23 |title=Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature for Windows 11 could already be in legal hot water |url=https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsofts-controversial-recall-feature-for-windows-11-could-already-be-in-legal-hot-water |url-status=live |website=Techradar}}</ref> especially among security experts<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hassan |first=Nilhad |title=Privacy and security risks surrounding Microsoft Recall |url=https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall |url-status=live}}</ref> who worried about the security of screenshots, since it could easily document private information like social-security numbers, bank-account information, and passwords, as well as user browsing behavior.
==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Ph-I-C}}

Microsoft Copilot's recall feature

2025-08-17T02:17:45Z

Determined1:

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Microsoft
|StartDate=2024-06
|Status=Active
|Product=Microsoft Copilot
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Privacy
|Description=Microsoft Recall collects screenshots of the user's computer every few seconds to be used by Copilot, Microsoft's AI.
}}{{Stub}}
Recall is a feature that takes screenshots of a users computer every few seconds to be used by Copilot, Microsoft's AI. It was initially impossible to remove from your computer and its screenshots were unencrypted.

==Background==
In 2024, Microsoft unveiled Recall for Copilot+ PCs,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-01-25 |title=Competitive Processes, Anticompetitive Practices And Consumer Harm In The Software Industry: An Analysis Of The Inadequacies Of The Microsoft-Department Of Justice Proposed Final Judgment |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-processes-anticompetitive-practices-and-consumer-harm-software-industry-analysis |url-status=live |website=DOJ}}</ref> marketed as a way for users to search through what they have done on their computer by recording their screen. This sparked controversy,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allan |first=Darren |date=2024-05-23 |title=Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature for Windows 11 could already be in legal hot water |url=https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsofts-controversial-recall-feature-for-windows-11-could-already-be-in-legal-hot-water |url-status=live |website=Techradar}}</ref> especially among security experts<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hassan |first=Nilhad |title=Privacy and security risks surrounding Microsoft Recall |url=https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall |url-status=live}}</ref> who worried about the security of screenshots,[41] since it could easily document private information like social-security numbers, bank-account information, and passwords, as well as user browsing behavior.

==[Incident]==
{{Ph-I-I}}

===[Company]'s response===
{{Ph-I-ComR}}

==Lawsuit==
{{Ph-I-L}}

==Consumer response==
{{Ph-I-ConR}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Ph-I-C}}

Microsoft Copilot's recall feature

2025-08-17T01:53:04Z

Determined1: Created page with "{{IncidentCargo |Company=Microsoft |StartDate=2024-06 |Status=Active |Product=Microsoft Copilot |ArticleType=Service |Type=Privacy |Description=Microsoft Recall collects screenshots of the user's computer every few seconds to be used by Copilot, Microsoft's AI. }} {{Ph-I-Int}} ==Background== {{Ph-I-B}} ==[Incident]== {{Ph-I-I}} ===[Company]'s response=== {{Ph-I-ComR}} ==Lawsuit== {{Ph-I-L}} ==Consumer response== {{Ph-I-ConR}} ==References== {{..."