Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Blu-Ray Ultra-HD DRM

2026-02-06T11:05:38Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

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Ultra HD Blu-Ray uses internet-connected AACCS [[DRM]], requiring WiFi every time a disc is played. If the AACS servers are shut down, the discs will become [[Discontinuation bricking|permanently unplayable]].



The Ultra HD Blu-Ray standard incorporates various restrictions, making it impossible to play UHD Blu-Ray discs without proprietary software and an internet connection. The primary DRM system used is the '''Advanced Access Content System''' ({{Wplink|Advanced_Access_Content_System|AACS}}) for content distribution and digital rights management. It employs a set of crypto-graphically complex standards to encrypt and control media playback. Decryption keys can only be acquired by connecting via internet to the company's servers.

==Hardware requirements==
The requirements to play a UHD Blu-Ray on a PC are:

#A UHD-compatible optical drive certified by '''{{Wplink|AACS_LA|AACS LA}}'''.
#'''An Intel CPU with support for Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX):''' SGX is a protocol that creates a secure environment to prevent users from tampering with imposed restrictions. This feature was available in Intel CPUs produced between 2015 and 2022 but was discontinued due to security concerns (list of vulnerabilities is available {{Wplink|Software_Guard_Extensions#List_of_SGX_vulnerabilities|here}}).
#'''Intel Management Engine (ME):'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/the-management-engine-an-attack-on-computer-users-freedom|title=The Intel Management Engine: an attack on computer users' freedom|website=Free Software Foundation|access-date=2025-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250210165315/https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/the-management-engine-an-attack-on-computer-users-freedom|archive-date=2025-02-10}}</ref> If the ME version is outdated, the disc will not play.
#'''An Integrated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU):''' The GPU shares the SGX enclave with the CPU, reducing the likelihood of users accessing or copying audio/video data.
#'''HDCP 2.2 support:''' The integrated GPU, monitor, and HDMI/DisplayPort cable must all support '''{{Wplink|High-bandwidth_Digital_Content_Protection|High-bandwith Digital Content Protection}}''' (HDCP) version 2.2. This protection system authenticates devices and encrypts the stream between them, making it extremely difficult to access audio/video data.

==Software requirements==
The decryption process involves several steps, with the first being the authentication of the player and the optical drive to ensure that both possess valid certificates. These certificates can be revoked arbitrarily at any time by AACS LA, rendering devices or software unusable with restricted media.

Developers can obtain specifications for AACS 2.0 and 2.1 only after signing a license agreement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aacsla.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AACS1-Adopter-Agrmt-220519-v1.1-FINAL_review-only.pdf|title=AACS License Agreement|website=Advanced Access Content System|access-date=2025-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406142710/https://aacsla.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AACS1-Adopter-Agrmt-220519-v1.1-FINAL_review-only.pdf|archive-date=2025-04-06}}</ref> This agreement stipulates that any software implementation must be closed-source and, as stated in section 7.6.4.1 of the agreement, requires the use of obfuscation techniques designed to effectively disguise and hinder attempts to uncover the methods used. This raises privacy concerns because decryption keys cannot be included with the software. Instead, the software must connect to the internet to retrieve the keys from servers. If these servers were to shut down, there would be no way to obtain the decryption keys, making the discs permanently unplayable.

==Ownership concerns==
The restrictive hardware and software requirements to play AACS-protected discs are designed in ways that goes against the [[right to own]], a key concept for consumer rights.

#'''Lack of Permanent Access:''' When decryption keys are stored on remote servers and require an internet connection to access, users are dependent on the continued operation of those servers. If the servers are shut down (e.g. due to company closure or discontinuation of support), the media becomes permanently unplayable. This undermines the idea of ownership, as users lose access to content they legally purchased.
#'''Arbitrary Revocation of Certificates:''' The ability of AACS LA to revoke certificates at any time means that even if a user owns a legitimate player or software, it can be rendered unusable without warning. This creates a situation where the user's ability to access their media is controlled by a third party, not by their ownership of the physical disc.
#'''Closed-Source and Obfuscation Requirements:''' The requirement for software to be closed-source and obfuscated prevents users from understanding, modifying, or repairing the software they use to access their media. This limits their control over the products they own and restricts their ability to preserve access to their media in the long term.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Digital rights management]]

Belkin

2026-02-06T11:00:06Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

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{{CompanyCargo
|Description=American consumer electronics company focused on phone and computer accessories.
|Founded=April 18, 1983
|Industry=Electronics
|Logo=Belkin logo.png
|ParentCompany=Foxconn Interconnect Technology
|Type=Subsidiary
|Website=https://www.belkin.com
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Belkin|Belkin]]''' (stylised belkin) is an American electronics company, headquartered in El Segundo, California. It produces phone and computer accessories and connectivity devices, such as powerbanks, wireless chargers, and screen protectors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=2018-03-27 |title=Foxconn buys Belkin, Linksys, and Wemo |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/26/17166272/foxconn-buys-belkin-fit-linksys-wemo |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250714165148/https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/26/17166272/foxconn-buys-belkin-fit-linksys-wemo |archive-date=14 Jul 2025 }}</ref>

==Consumer impact summary==
'''Business model:''' Belkin remotely disables perfectly functional devices in order to sell new ones, a practice known as [[discontinuation bricking]].

==Incidents==
===End of support for Wemo smart devices (''10 Jul 2025'')===
{{Main|Belkin Wemo discontinuation of service}}
Belkin [[Wemo]] smart home devices require cloud connectivity to work. On July 10, 2025, Belkin announced the shutdown of cloud services supporting most Wemo devices, effective January 31, 2026.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-10 |title=Belkin Official Support - Wemo Support Ending – What You Need to Know |url=https://www.belkin.com/support-article/?articleNum=335419 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Belkin Official Support |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250711172157/https://www.belkin.com/support-article/?articleNum=335419 |archive-date=11 Jul 2025 }}</ref> These devices remain for sale on Belkin's Amazon WeMo store<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon.com: Wemo Smart Plug with Thread - Smart Outlet for Apple HomeKit - Smart Home Products, Smart Home Lighting, Smart Home Gadgets - Homekit Smart Plug - Tech Gifts - Works W/ Apple iPhone, Easy NFC Set Up : Tools & Home Improvement |url=https://www.amazon.com/Wemo-Smart-Plug-Thread-Products/dp/B09T4S3QKC |archive-url=https://archive.is/wip/ORa4X |archive-date=2025-07-13 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Amazon.com: Wemo Smart Plug with Thread - Smart Outlet for Apple HomeKit - Smart Home Products, Smart Home Lighting, Smart Home Gadgets - Homekit Smart Plug - Tech Gifts - Works W/ Apple iPhone, Easy NFC Set Up : Tools & Home Improvement}}</ref> and advertising them as working with Google, Alexa, & more.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Amazon.com: Wemo |url=https://www.amazon.com/stores/Wemo/page/E33F6EA2-93FC-48CD-8BF6-EE10D5398795 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/wip/TBvNl |archive-date=2025-07-13 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Amazon.com: Wemo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Preston |first=Dominic |date=2025-07-11 |title=Belkin is ending support for nearly all its Wemo smart home devices |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/705136/belkin-wemo-smart-home-support-ending-homekit-thread |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20250711204531/https://www.theverge.com/news/705136/belkin-wemo-smart-home-support-ending-homekit-thread |archive-date= 11 Jul 2025 }}</ref>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Belkin]]

Bambu Lab

2026-02-06T10:56:37Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

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[[wikipedia:Bambu_Lab|'''Bambu Lab''']] is a Chinese technology company that designs and manufactures 3D printers. The company is based in Shenzhen, China, with locations in Shanghai and Austin, Texas. It was founded in 2020 by a group of ex-[[DJI]] engineers.

Alongside 3D printers, Bambu Lab also sells its own brand of 3D printer filament on spools with embedded NFC tags that describe the filament material, type, model. The NFC tags are meant to interact with a corresponding NFC tag reader inside their proprietary AMS (Automatic Material System).{{citation needed}} A group of researchers by the name [https://github.com/Bambu-Research-Group/RFID-Tag-Guide Bambu Research Group] has since managed to reverse-engineer these tags, although not managing to make their own custom tags. Their project's documentation also mentions their efforts may be slowed down due to fear of repercussions from Bambu Lab.

Bambu Lab's official accompanying software package is [https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio Bambu Studio], which handles the converting ([https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Slicer_(3D_printing) slicing]) of digital model files into compatible [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/G-code G-code] that the 3D printer can read and process. It is based on the open-source software [https://github.com/prusa3d/PrusaSlicer PrusaSlicer], and draws the majority of its inner workings from it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@bambulab |title=PC Software for BambuLab and other 3D printers |url=https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio#bambustudio |url-status=live |access-date=1 May 2025 |website=GitHub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250510135316/https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio#bambustudio |archive-date= 10 May 2025}}</ref>

==Consumer impact summary==
<nowiki>*</nowiki> User Freedom:

<nowiki>*</nowiki> User Privacy:

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Business Model:

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Market Control:

==Incidents==
===Authorization Control System (2025)===
{{Main|Bambu Lab Authorization Control System}}
In early 2025, Bambu Lab announced changes to future firmwares that would implement a centralised authentication mechanism that regulated connections and control over the customer's 3D printer. This new firmware would be mandatory to install and could have prevented the customer's printer from functioning until it had been. This effectively forced customers to agree to new Terms and Conditions surrounding the use of their printer, which they did not agree with upon purchase of the product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tyrer-Jones |first=Alex |date=20 Jan 2025 |title=Bambu Lab Responds to Backlash Over New Firmware Update |url=https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/bambu-lab-responds-to-backlash-over-new-firmware-update-235771/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214090029/https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/bambu-lab-responds-to-backlash-over-new-firmware-update-235771/ |archive-date=14 Feb 2025 |access-date=1 May 2025 |website=3D Printing Industry}} </ref>

This new authentication mechanism resulted in numerous designed-for and compatible third-party products, both software and hardware, being made incompatible with the printers going forward. The chief products affected were (including but not limited to): Panda Touch, OrcaSlicer, any third-party product making use of the MQTT protocol. Soon after the updated software was released, users managed to [[Bambu private keys leaked less than 24 hours after announcement|extract necessary security keys]] from it to continue using their third-party products. Amendments have presently been made that would allow some or all of these products to work with workarounds or extra software or tools from Bambu embedded into these products.

Bambu Lab later responded to public outrage and controversy over these changes, stating that feedback has been provided and they would amend the firmware's new security measures with developer options that would unlock the use of the 3D printer without connecting to Bambu Lab's services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=19 Jan 2025 |title=Bambu Lab Firmware Update Forces Cloud Dependency & User Lock-In - AVOID THEIR 3D PRINTERS! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIyaDD8onIE |url-status=live |access-date=1 May 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=aIyaDD8onIE |archive-date=19 Jan 2025}}</ref> However, the wording of these updates has been widely criticised by consumer rights conscious people as implying these were good-will gestures or extra granted rights, or that restriction of functionality was never on the roadmap.

Bambu Lab vocally spoke out against the public's reaction, calling many of the valid concerns "unfortunate misinformation", "false accusations" and "baseless allegations".<ref>{{Cite web |last=@SpaghettiMonster |date=20 Jan 2025 |title=Updates and Third-Party Integration with Bambu Connect |url=https://blog.bambulab.com/updates-and-third-party-integration-with-bambu-connect/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/nnFDH |archive-date=20 January 2025 |access-date=1 May 2025 |website=Bambu Lab Blog}}</ref> It is notable that Bambu's recall of these accusations seems to fall on the creatively victimized interpretation side of the matter.

===Helio Additive===
In mid 2025, Bambu Lab added a new functionality in a form of a third party cloud service where you can send your design to get an thermal analysis, which can be used later to optimize the print adjusting the temperature (for [https://www.helioadditive.com/pricing paid membership]). Besides privacy concerns of sharing the designs with a Chinese startup, the functionality is restricted to an online-only model, with no offline simulation alternative, limiting potential open-source or community-driven innovation.

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Bambu Lab]]
[[Category:3D printer companies]]

Automatic content recognition

2026-02-06T10:51:13Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

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'''Automatic Content Recognition (ACR)''' is a feature in certain kinds of devices manufacturers use to collect consumer data, visuals and audio, at periodic intervals, which grants the manufacturing companies access to the private data automatically.<ref name="IA-cloud">{{Cite web |title=ACRCloud Docs |url=https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228090804/https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/ |archive-date=2017-02-28}}</ref>

==How it works==
ACR allows the manufacturing companies of Smart TVs access to information like:
#Content being viewed
#Connected devices
#Time and date of the viewing
#Duration of the content
#Specific sensors it has access to

ACR is an opt-in feature buried beneath the EULA, turned on by default.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Cericola |first1=Rachel |last2=Chase |first2=Jon |last3=Neikirk |first3=Lee |date=2025-06-25 |title=Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-smart-devices-data-tracking/ |access-date=2025-08-12 |work=New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206104841/https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-smart-devices-data-tracking/ |archive-date=6 Feb 2026 }}</ref>

==Why it is a problem==

===Privacy===
The harvested data is used to push targeted content to the consumer such as polls and advertisements,<ref name="IA-cloud" />and it is also often sold without knowledge. '''Automatic Content Recognition (ACR)''' has become a four billion dollar industry, projected to double in value by 2030 to 10 billion USD.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Automatic Content Recognition Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030) |url=https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/automatic-content-recognition-market |access-date=2025-08-12 |work=Mordor Intelligence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251119011110/https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/automatic-content-recognition-market |archive-date=19 Nov 2025}}</ref>

Due to the nature of a majority of smart devices, the kind of data being stored is usually sensitive. Devices that are always on, for example [[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage|Amazon Echo]], [[Apple]] HomePods, and [[Google]] Nest models, are constantly in a state of monitoring. Though they claim they only begin monitoring after they hear a keyword, which can be misfired. The corresponding apps to control the devices prompt a lot of personal information, such as email, address, location, contacts and sometimes photos.<ref name=":0" />

A study revealed that outdoor security cameras collect 50% more data than smart home apps.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=Is privacy an illusion under a security camera’s watch? |url=https://surfshark.com/research/chart/security-camera-apps-privacy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813002246/https://surfshark.com/research/chart/security-camera-apps-privacy |archive-date=13 Aug 2025 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=surfshark.com}}</ref>

==== <big>Data Collected by Outdoor Security Cameras:</big> ====
#Email addresses
#Phone numbers
#Payment information
#Location

==== <big>Data Collected by Indoor Security Cameras:</big> ====
#Email addresses
#Phone Numbers
#User IDs
#Device IDs
#Purchase history
#Audio

These lists aren't exhaustive.

The gathered data then has the possibility of being intercepted at three different points:

#The device which hosts the app
#During the data transmission of the device and cloud
#In the cloud

==Examples==
Siri class action lawsuit listening to users even when the device was not in use

Adobes limited royalty free licence to train AI on user content for generation and content recognition purposes

Smart TV companies using '''ACR''' to determine what ads to serve and sell to other brokers

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Common terms]]

Apple's planned obsolescence incidents

2026-02-06T10:47:18Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

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Apple actively makes it near-impossible for third-parties and consumers to repair their products while maintaining their full, intended functionality.

==Product repair issues and software allegations==
Apple's implementation of planned obsolescence is primarily driven by technological obsolescence, encompassing hardware, firmware, and software limitations. The company's hardware design choices (such as proprietary screws, glued components, and complex internal layouts) make repairs difficult for consumers and third-party repair shops.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353685307_From_Planned_Obsolescence_to_the_Circular_Economy_in_the_Smartphone_Industry_an_evolution_of_strategies_embodied_in_product_features|DOI=10.1017/pds.2021.422|first1=Mário|first2=Eric|last1=Barros|last2=Dimla|journal=Proceedings of the Design Society 1:1607-1616|title=From Planned Obsolescence to the Circular Economy in the Smartphone Industry: an evolution of strategies embodied in product features|date=August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206104504/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353685307_From_Planned_Obsolescence_to_the_Circular_Economy_in_the_Smartphone_Industry_an_evolution_of_strategies_embodied_in_product_features |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}} </ref> Firmware restrictions further limit repairability by disabling key functionalities when non-Apple components are used, as seen in battery and camera replacements, where users receive error messages and lose features like battery health monitoring and Face ID.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Disotto |first=John-Anthony |date=2023-05-16 |title=Does Apple build 'planned obsolescence' into its products? French investigation to find out begins |url=https://www.imore.com/apple/does-apple-build-planned-obsolescence-into-its-products-french-investigation-to-find-out-begins |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/g4DV5 |archive-date=23 Jul 2024 |website=iMore}}</ref>

Until recently, software updates also contributed to planned obsolescence by leading to performance degradation. Research has confirmed that Apple's software updates negatively impacted battery performance, often slowing down older devices and making them less functional over time.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-03-02 |title=Apple settles iPhone slowdown case for $500m |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51706635 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303051825/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51706635 |archive-date=2020-03-03 |access-date=2025-01-03 |work=BBC}}</ref> Apple has been criticized for discontinuing software support for older iPhone models, which forces consumers to upgrade to newer devices to maintain essential functions such as web browsing and email.

Despite growing regulatory pressure, Apple continues to control its repair ecosystem by restricting access to spare parts and discouraging third-party repairs. On the French Repairability Index (''[https://www.indicereparabilite.fr Indice de réparabilité]''), the majority of iPhone models obtain a score lower than five out of ten.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indice de réparabilité Smartphone |trans-title=Smartphone repairability scores |url=https://www.indicereparabilite.fr/appareils/multimedia/smartphone/page/3/?orderby=price |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708171707/https://www.indicereparabilite.fr/appareils/multimedia/smartphone/page/3/?orderby=price |archive-date=2025-07-08 |access-date= |website=French Repairability Index |language=fr}}</ref>

The EU-mandated transition in charging cables from Lightning to USB-C, affecting all smartphone manufacturers, required updates to existing accessories, reflecting a broader industry-wide standardization rather than forced obsolescence.

==Hardware obsolescence==
Apple's planned obsolescence extends beyond software to hardware. Since the 2008 MacBook Air, Apple has begun soldering the RAM into their laptops. They used proprietary RAM chips, making it impossible for consumers and 3rd-party repair shops to upgrade an ageing machine.

In 2015 on the 12-inch MacBook Pro, Apple began soldering in the SSD, meaning consumers can't upgrade their storage or replace it when it dies. Up until 2017, a failed SSD could be mitigated with an external SSD but Apple decided to move the EFI (bios) to the SSD, meaning if the SSD dies on the laptop it becomes a brick. Failing SSDs should not brick a computer that is made for video editors and professionals.

==Lawsuit==
In December 2022, French prosecutors opened an investigation into Apple over its part-pairing practice, which restricts third-party repairs. HOP, part of the [[Right to repair|Right to Repair]] Campaign, had previously filed a complaint, leading to Apple paying €25 million to the French treasury in 2020. HOP argues that this practice fosters planned obsolescence and harms sustainability efforts, advocating for a European ban on part-pairing. The investigation continues as part of broader efforts to protect consumer rights and encourage repairability.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2023 |title=Plainte contre Apple: le Procureur de la République ouvre l’enquête |trans-title=Complaint against Apple: the Public Prosecutor opens the investigation |url=https://www.halteobsolescence.org/plainte-contre-apple-le-procureur-de-la-republique-ouvre-lenquete/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251117133528/https://www.halteobsolescence.org/plainte-contre-apple-le-procureur-de-la-republique-ouvre-lenquete/ |archive-date=17 Nov 2025 |language=fr}}</ref>

Legal actions against independent repair shops further solidify its control, making it difficult for users to extend the lifespan of their devices without relying on Apple’s costly repair services.

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Apple IPhones]]
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Lawsuits]]
[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]

Adobe Digital Editions' ebook DRM

2026-02-06T10:42:07Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Adobe
|StartDate=
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|Product= Adobe eBook Platform
|ArticleType=
|Type= Ownership, False Advertising
|Description= Adobe limits downloads of bought books through their apps despite unlimited downloads advertised
}}
Modern-day ebook publishers have been utilizing various forms of [[Digital rights management|digital-rights management]] (DRM) to protect the books they sell to make sure that "copyright laws are respected and that authors and publishers are fairly compensated".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=DRM for NOOK Content |url=https://help.barnesandnoble.com/hc/en-us/articles/5445106302107-DRM-for-NOOK-Content |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/u0VWd |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=Barnes & Noble}}</ref> However, the end user who purchases the content legally ends up being restricted in what they are able to do with the ebook once they have purchased it. One of Adobe's version of this DRM is called "Adobe Digital Editions" which is the client the user uses to read their ebooks.

==Background==
'''[[Adobe]] eBook Platform''' is a platform for publishers to leverage when selling ebooks. This includes the following software suite: Adobe InDesign® CC software, Adobe Content Server software, the Adobe Reader® Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK), and Adobe Digital Editions.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/cc/us/en/solutions/ebook/adobe_ebook_platform_whitepaper.pdf |title=Adobe® eBook Platform: Authoring and delivering eBooks across devices |website=Adobe |year=2014 |access-date=6 Feb 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206103948/https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/cc/us/en/solutions/ebook/adobe_ebook_platform_whitepaper.pdf |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref> A summary of each of the software is outlined below at a high level (mostly extracted from the Adobe white paper on the platform):

*Adobe Content Server - "Adobe Content Server allows publishers, retailers, distributors, and libraries to host and manage eBook distribution. This server software encrypts PDF and EPUB eBook files and allows publishers and retailers to manage the rights on the eBook files they distribute.<ref name=":0" />"
*Adobe Reader Mobile SDK - The SDK " allows e-reader device manufacturers and eBook application developers to support EPUB and PDF files protected by Content Server in their products. It enables tethered and over-the-air downloads so that consumers can order eBooks directly through their devices or “side-load” them by copying files from their desktops to their mobile devices".<ref name=":0" />
*Adobe InDesign - InDesign allows the publishers to export EPUB and EPUB3 files from print layouts. This also allows publishers to export ebooks to hardware such as the "Sony Reader, the Barnes & Noble nook, and smartphones, as well as personal computers using Microsoft® Windows® or Mac OS".<ref name=":0" />
*Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) - "Adobe Digital Editions is a free, lightweight desktop reading application for PC and Mac that allows eBook consumers to easily download and organize their eBooks easily. Consumers can read their eBooks online and offline, transfer copy-protected eBooks from their personal computers to other devices, organize eBooks into a custom library, and annotate page".<ref name=":0" />

All these solutions come together to give publishers control over their ebook content. The main product discussed on this page is Adobe Digital Editions (ADE). ADE allows for the following benefits:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Optimize your reading experience with the best eBook reader across formats. |url=https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/GVpVP |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=[[Adobe]]}}</ref>

*Download and transfer of books between devices
*EPUB3 support
*Keyword search across ebooks
*Voiceover accessibility
*Multi-language support
*Bookmarking, highlighting, and note support
*Support for borrowing ebooks from libraries
*ebook printing (publishers decide whether they opt-in for allowing printing or not)
*EPUB, EPUB3 and PDF support

ADE also has system requirements, as it is an application running on your system:<ref>{{Cite web |title=System requirements |url=https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/tech-specs.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/4UDbM |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=[[Adobe]]}}</ref>

Windows:

*Intel® Pentium® 4 processor or later
*Windows® 7 (32 or 64 bit running in 32-bit mode) or later
*512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
*40MB of available hard-disk space

Mac OS:

*Intel Core™ Duo or faster processor
*Mac OS X v10.8 or later
*Compatible with Apple Retina Display
*512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
*75MB of available hard-disk space

iOS:

*Minimum requirement 9.0 or later.
*Compatible with iPhone and iPad.

Android:

*Minimum requirement 4.4 or later.
*Compatible with the Mobile and Tablet.

==Adobe Digital Edition's Consumer Effects==
With the release of the platform and specifically the Adobe Digital Edition application, consumers have been restricted on what they are allowed to do with ebooks that they have purchased. Although unlimited downloads are mentioned by publishers and ebook sites, those are tied to an account.<ref name=":1" /> This means that if access to an account is lost, then the access to those ebooks is lost as well. eBooks.com is one of the various e-bookstores that sells both non-DRM and DRM books leveraging ADE. When purchasing an ebook from them, you get a .acsm file. This format only works with the Adobe Digital Editions application. The user needs to create an Adobe account (after already creating an ebooks.com account) in order to add the book to their account. ADE (pertaining to purchases from ebooks.com) allows for authorization of up to 10 devices with a single Adobe ID, but only one computer.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Turvey |first=Alex |title=What is DRM? (DRM FAQs) |url=https://support.ebooks.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360000726656-What-is-DRM-DRM-FAQs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/cEs8C |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=eBooks.com}}</ref> The end user would not be able to read a book on a home computer and then later on a laptop simultaneously due to this limitation. Barnes and Noble uses ADE as well for their ebooks, with their limitations being a bit different in comparison to ebooks.com's. They have 4 versions of DRM types they leverage for the books sold on their site:<ref name=":1" />

#Consumer DRM (eBook)
##Unlimited downloads
##Up to six (6) devices/computers
##No copying and printing
#Business DRM (eBook)
##One (1) download
##Up to one (1) device/computer
##No copying and printing
#Education DRM (eTextbook)
##Two (2) downloads
##Up to two (2) devices/computers
##Limited copying and printing
#Hard DRM
##Six (6) downloads
##Up to six (6) devices/computers
##Used for Case Studies made available by professors and specific courses

In both cases, the user is limited to only a certain number of devices and has to constantly authorize and un-authorize readers in order to be in compliance. This leads to a lack of autonomy for the user who has purchased the book. In addition, with the Barnes and Noble "Consumer DRM" section, a user is not able to print the ebook they have purchased either. Going back to the ebooks.com example, ebooks.com has a bit more control on the consumer stating that due to DRM: "the amount of printing or copying and pasting you can do may be restricted, or prevented entirely. It will also determine whether the read aloud functionality is enabled for the ebook or not".<ref name=":2" />

With ADE, a consumer will always need to download the application to access books that they have purchased. This is under the assumption that the user is able to have the technical know-how to do all the ADE overhead in order to finally read the book they have purchased. In addition, individuals who do not have access to the most modern technology, thus not being able to download ADE on their system, are also then prevented from reading ebooks they have purchased.

If a user were to be able to remove DRM from a ebook purchased from an e-bookstore leveraging ADE, they would then be breaching the compliance with an end-user license agreement or a customer license. On ebook.com's customer license page, they mention the following: "You promise to keep any eBook in the form in which it was supplied to you. We may include other information (including information identifying the author, the copyright owner, or the terms upon which the eBook is supplied) to any eBook supplied to you. You promise not to circumvent any measures that we have taken to protect the rights in the eBook that we have supplied, including removing this information or otherwise facilitating an infringement of copyright".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Customer License |url=https://www.ebooks.com/en-us/information/customerlicense/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/GTEsJ |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=eBooks.com}}</ref> Although no lawsuits have been found being documented (as of writing this article), the door for this kind of consumer abuse is still present.

In 2014, the Electronic Frontier Foundation had published an article regarding how Adobe Digital Edition was tracking its end users by logging what the end-user reads and what happens to those files.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McSherry |first=Corynne |date=7 Oct 2014 |title=Adobe Spyware Reveals (Again) the Price of DRM: Your Privacy and Security |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/10/adobe-spyware-reveals-again-price-drm-your-privacy-and-security |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/cbuNx |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=EFF}}</ref> This data was also being sent in plain-text undermining the privacy of the users.

==Consumer response==
On Reddit, consumers are constantly inquiring about steps to remove the Adobe DRM, as it is obstructing the end-users method of being able to comfortably read the ebooks they have purchased.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe Digital Editions & DRM |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/xvct89/adobe_digital_editions_drm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/LWIft |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

==Adobe Ebook DRM Removal==
In the Abbey House Media v. Apple Inc ruling on an ebookstore notifying users of how to remove ebook DRM, a judge has ruled that telling users to remove DRM from books they have legally purchased is "not contributory copyright infringement".<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 Nov 2014 |title=Abbey House Media v. Apple Inc |url=https://www.eff.org/document/abbey-house-media-v-apple-inc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/CovSv |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=EFF}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Higgins |first=Parker |date=10 Dec 2014 |title=Pointing Users to DRM-Stripping Software Isn't Copyright Infringement, Judge Rules |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/12/pointing-users-drm-stripping-software-isnt-copyright-infringement-judge-rules?language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/0nI8s |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=EFF}}</ref> The summary of this case being that the removal of DRM protection on books in non-infringing cases of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) does not necessarily lead to the piracy of digital books.<ref name=":3" />

An online persona known as ApprenticeAlf, has also gone ahead to create a tool to remove DRM as well from multiple forms of ebook DRM, not only Adobe's.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=10 Sep 2012 |title=DRM Removal Tools for eBooks |url=https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/drm-removal-tools-for-ebooks/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/NHxJp |archive-date=5 Jan 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=Apprentice Alf's Blog}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Digital rights management]]
[[Category:Adobe]]

ASUS downgrades a well-reviewed monitor panel

2026-02-06T10:37:47Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

{{Incomplete|Issue 1=External linking is not proper citation|Issue 2=convert to incident article using [[Template:IncidentPreload]]}}{{ProductCargo
|Company=Asus
|ProductLine=VG259QM 280hz IPS LCD
|ReleaseYear=2020
|InProduction=No
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Monitor, Display
|Website=https://www.asus.com
|Description=280hz IPS LCD Monitor. Manufacturer switched to a cheaper panel component whilst keeping model number, keeping prior reviews.
}}The VG259QM 280Hz IPS 24.5-inch monitor was released in late 2020 with a [https://www.panelook.com/Q250HTA00-A000_AUO_24.5_LCM_overview_47755.html Qisda Panel] to excellent reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Qisda Q250HTA00-A000 Overview |url=https://www.panelook.com/Q250HTA00-A000_AUO_24.5_LCM_overview_47755.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/n3vUi#selection-42.0-47.22 |archive-date=25 Oct 2025 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=Panelook.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Breton |first=Samuel |last2=Lim |first2=Ryan |last3=Khong |first3=Yannick |date=2020-08-25 |title=ASUS TUF Gaming VG259QM Monitor Review |url=https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/asus/tuf-gaming-vg259qm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907021931/https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/asus/tuf-gaming-vg259qm |archive-date=2020-09-07 |website=RTINGS.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Eberle |first=Christian |date=2020-09-14 |title=Asus TUF VG259QM Monitor Review: Ultimate 280Hz Gaming |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/asus-tuf-vg259qm |url-status=live |website=Tom's Hardware|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206103203/https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/asus-tuf-vg259qm |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref> Users eventually noticed that their VG259QM monitors appeared as an inferior [https://www.panelook.com/M250HAN01.A_AUO_24.5_LCM_overview_52042.html AUO panel].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=cmdrgod |date=2022-11-23 |title=The Official *Asus VG259QM* Owners Thread (+ Secret Overdrive) |url=https://forums.blurbusters.com/viewtopic.php?t=7414&start=590 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104132729/https://forums.blurbusters.com/viewtopic.php?t=7414&start=590 |archive-date=2026-01-04 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=Blur Busters}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=djexpert |date=2022-08-04 |title=The Official *Asus VG259QM* Owners Thread (+ Secret Overdrive) |url=https://forums.blurbusters.com/viewtopic.php?t=7414&start=580 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104131434/https://forums.blurbusters.com/viewtopic.php?t=7414&start=580 |archive-date=2026-01-04 |website=Blur Busters}}</ref> This change occurred around the same time ASUS released the VG259QM as a new product (with the same product number) in Japan in 2022.

==Consumer-impact summary==
There was no indication on any website or on the packaging that this change had happened. The product retained the exact same model number after the panel change; the only indication of the panel change is in the service menu.

The user-reported inferior performance of the new panel, the lack of any indication of a change (except service menu), combined with the glowing reviews of the original monitor, has led some people to make the unsubstantiated claim that it's possible that ASUS may have kept the exact same model number to intentionally deceive consumers who read reviews and discourage reviews of the new panel. However, there is no direct evidence that ASUS deliberately intended to deceive the consumer or review sites.

The same model number also meant that while no one seems to have actually measured the performance of the AUO panel version, TechSpot made the monitor "Best of 2022", directly referencing the 2020 Tom's Hardware review of the VG259QM with the old Qisda panel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asus TUF Gaming VG259QM 24.5" |url=https://www.techspot.com/products/monitors/asus-vg259qm.217665/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250616073242/https://www.techspot.com/products/monitors/asus-vg259qm.217665/ |archive-date=2025-06-16 |website=TechSpot}}</ref>

==Details==
On 23 Nov 2022, cmdrgod sounds the alarm about the panel change on blurbusters.com. He provides a comparison of service menus between his old VG259QM and the new one. He claims the new panel is much worse, and that ASUS support told him there was a shortage, and that this kind of switch is normal. <ref name=":0" />

On the previous page of the thread, user djexpert mentions that in Japan, the VG259QM was released as a "new" product in July 2022. His service menu shows an AUO panel.<ref name=":1" />

Guru3d also mention VG259QM as a 2022 "new" product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hagedoorn |first=Hilbert |date=2022-07-22 |others= |title=ASUS VG259QM 280Hz / 1ms 24.5-inch Fast IPS gaming LCD |url=https://www.guru3d.com/story/asus-vg259qm-280hz-1ms-24-5-inch-fast-ips-gaming-lcd |url-status=live |website=The guru of 3D |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206103652/https://www.guru3d.com/story/asus-vg259qm-280hz-1ms-24-5-inch-fast-ips-gaming-lcd |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref> 

Due to the unfortunate incident of ASUS releasing two different products with identical model numbers, no one properly tested the AUO version, so there's no technical proof that the motion clarity is actually as bad as it appears to the human eye.

==See also==

==References==
<references />
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

AWS Lightsail won't cancel

2026-02-06T08:36:37Z

PeaceSeekers:

{{Stub}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=
|EndDate=
|Status=
|ProductLine=
|Product=AWS Lightsail
|ArticleType=
|Type=
|Description=
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Amazon_Web_Services|AWS]] Lightsail''' is a set of services within Amazon Web Services that provides virtual-servers with popular pre-configured software options - such as a Wordpress server. It is notable for more-or-less instant setup speed and low cost operation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Billing and account management |url=https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/amazon-lightsail-frequently-asked-questions-faq-billing-and-account-management.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104114148/https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/amazon-lightsail-frequently-asked-questions-faq-billing-and-account-management.html |archive-date=2026-01-04 |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |website=AWS}}</ref>

The Lightsail service also includes external IP addresses, to make servers publicly accessible over the internet, as well as snapshots and backups.

===Charging for deleted servers===
Lightsail offers a clear "Remove" button. Upon pressing it, the system asks multiple times if the user wishes to delete the server, noting that the server and its contents will be lost. Although the server disappears from the Lightsail page, the client continues to be charged for it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@AkivaM |title=Why is AWS billing me for Lightsail when I cancelled the service 2 months ago? |url=https://repost.aws/questions/QUvbRxSrD2TIilGzFY3ZKkOw/why-is-aws-billing-me-for-lightsail-when-i-cancelled-the-service-2-months-ago |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104035643/https://repost.aws/questions/QUvbRxSrD2TIilGzFY3ZKkOw/why-is-aws-billing-me-for-lightsail-when-i-cancelled-the-service-2-months-ago |archive-date=2026-01-04 |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |website=AWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Stopped lightsail instances still incur charges? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/aws/comments/g37d40/stopped_lightsail_instances_still_incur_charges/ |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |via=[[Reddit]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206083013/https://www.reddit.com/r/aws/comments/g37d40/stopped_lightsail_instances_still_incur_charges/|archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

This is explained by AWS Customer Service, revealing that deleting servers does not automatically delete screenshots and backups within that server.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Delete Lightsail instances |url=https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/delete-an-amazon-lightsail-instance.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251002152627/https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/delete-an-amazon-lightsail-instance.html |archive-date=2025-10-02 |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |website=AWS}}</ref>

In AWS, if a backup, snapshot, or resource (such as an IP address) associated with a server still exists, it remains billable even after the server or service has been terminated.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
<references />
[[Category:AWS Lightsail]]
[[Category:Service cancellation]]

AWS Lightsail won't cancel

2026-02-06T08:36:16Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving + fix

{{Stub}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=
|EndDate=
|Status=
|ProductLine=
|Product=AWS Lightsail
|ArticleType=
|Type=
|Description=
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Amazon_Web_Services|AWS]] Lightsail''' is a set of services within Amazon Web Services that provides virtual-servers with popular pre-configured software options - such as a Wordpress server. It is notable for more-or-less instant setup speed and low cost operation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Billing and account management |url=https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/amazon-lightsail-frequently-asked-questions-faq-billing-and-account-management.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104114148/https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/amazon-lightsail-frequently-asked-questions-faq-billing-and-account-management.html |archive-date=2026-01-04 |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |website=AWS}}</ref>

The Lightsail service also includes external IP addresses, to make servers publicly accessible over the internet, as well as snapshots and backups.

===Charging for deleted servers===
Lightsail offers a clear "Remove" button. Upon pressing it, the system asks multiple times if the user wishes to delete the server, noting that the server and its contents will be lost. Although the server disappears from the Lightsail page, the client continues to be charged for it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@AkivaM |title=Why is AWS billing me for Lightsail when I cancelled the service 2 months ago? |url=https://repost.aws/questions/QUvbRxSrD2TIilGzFY3ZKkOw/why-is-aws-billing-me-for-lightsail-when-i-cancelled-the-service-2-months-ago |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104035643/https://repost.aws/questions/QUvbRxSrD2TIilGzFY3ZKkOw/why-is-aws-billing-me-for-lightsail-when-i-cancelled-the-service-2-months-ago |archive-date=2026-01-03 |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |website=AWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Stopped lightsail instances still incur charges? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/aws/comments/g37d40/stopped_lightsail_instances_still_incur_charges/ |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |via=[[Reddit]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206083013/https://www.reddit.com/r/aws/comments/g37d40/stopped_lightsail_instances_still_incur_charges/|archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

This is explained by AWS Customer Service, revealing that deleting servers does not automatically delete screenshots and backups within that server.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Delete Lightsail instances |url=https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/delete-an-amazon-lightsail-instance.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251002152627/https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/delete-an-amazon-lightsail-instance.html |archive-date=2025-10-02 |access-date=9 Aug 2025 |website=AWS}}</ref>

In AWS, if a backup, snapshot, or resource (such as an IP address) associated with a server still exists, it remains billable even after the server or service has been terminated.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
<references />
[[Category:AWS Lightsail]]
[[Category:Service cancellation]]

Amazon to charge non-Prime consumers to use Alexa

2026-02-06T08:19:44Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

{{Incomplete|Issue 1=about half finished}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=March 2025
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=Alexa
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=
|Description=
}}
[[Amazon]] has introduced Alexa Plus (Alexa+), an upgrade to the Alexa voice assistant that uses generative artificial intelligence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Panay |first=Panos |date=26 Feb 2025 |title=Introducing Alexa+, the next generation of Alexa |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-generative-artificial-intelligence |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/W01wc |archive-date=27 Feb 2025 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=Amazon}}</ref> The Alexa voice assistant is also available on Amazon's range of smart speakers, such as the [[wikipedia:Amazon_Echo|Amazon Echo]].

==Background==
Until 2025, Amazon Alexa had been using a revenue model centered around the sale of [[Internet of things|Internet of Things]], with over half a billion units sold.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garfinkle |first=Alexandra |date=2023-05-17 |title=Amazon has sold more than 500 million Alexa-enabled devices, drops 4 new Echo products |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-has-sold-more-than-500-million-alexa-enabled-devices-drops-4-new-echo-products-140013808.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250724093539/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-has-sold-more-than-500-million-alexa-enabled-devices-drops-4-new-echo-products-140013808.html |archive-date=24 Jul 2025 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=Yahoo! Finance}}</ref> In March of 2025 they introduced an Alexa+ subscription model to mitigate the $25 billion USD loss from Alexa devices over four years (2017-2021).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Scharon |date=2024-07-23 |title=Alexa had “no profit timeline,” cost Amazon $25 billion in 4 years |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/07/alexa-had-no-profit-timeline-cost-amazon-25-billion-in-4-years/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/BKxPR |archive-date=24 Jul 2025 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Sharon |date=26 Sep 2024 |title=Amazon wants to charge a subscription fee for Alexa eventually |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/09/amazon-wants-to-charge-a-subscription-fee-for-alexa-eventually/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/DJ3Fx |archive-date=26 Sep 2024 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref> In March of 2025, Amazon Echo [[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage|changed the terms]] of voice usage, removing the "Do Not Send Voice" feature at the same time as Alexa's capabilities were expanded with generative AI features.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arntz |first=Pieter |date=18 Mar 2025 |title=Amazon disables privacy option, will send your Echo voice recordings to the cloud |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/03/amazon-disables-option-to-store-echo-voice-recordings-on-your-device |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/9PdPU |archive-date=6 Oct 2025 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=Malwarebytes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Sharon |date=17 Mar 2025 |title=Everything You Say to Your Echo Will Soon Be Sent to Amazon, and You Can’t Opt Out |url=https://www.wired.com/story/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-march-28/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250325015954/https://www.wired.com/story/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-march-28/ |archive-date=25 March 2025 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=Wired}}</ref>

==Adding a subscription cost==
Amazon has rolled out it's "Alexa+" subscription model, costing non-Prime users $19.99USD per month to access and use their Alexa devices, in comparison to the $14.99USD monthly cost of an Amazon Prime subscription.{{Citation needed|date=1 Dec 2025}}

This change comes at a time where many companies are [[List of products and services with post-purchase license change|adding a subscription fee, retroactive to user purchases]], to access certain features.

== Amazon's Response ==
{{Update needed|date={{subst:December}} {{subst:2025}}}}

==Consumer Response==
Consumer and analyst sentiment around has been mixed.{{Citation needed|date=1 Dec 2025}}

===Analyst Reactions===

*Tom Forte of Maxim Group sees Alexa+ as Amazon's shot at challenging ChatGPT rather than improving Alexa. If executed well, “maybe we’re talking less about OpenAI vs. Anthropic and more of Alexa vs. ChatGPT.”<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-26 |title=Amazon Unveils AI-Driven Alexa+ to Compete with ChatGPT |url=https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2716607/amazon-unveils-aidriven-alexa-to-compete-with-chatgpt |url-status=live |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=GuruFocus |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206081722/https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2716607/amazon-unveils-aidriven-alexa-to-compete-with-chatgpt |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

*MarketWatch & TheVerge states that the Alexa+ model is bolstering Amazons' ability to monetize a platform they have lost billions on via subscription tiers and targeted ads, recognizes that there could be a larger play here to make Amazon a big game contributor to the AI/LLM arms race. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Tuohy |first=Jennifer Pattison |date=2025-08-01 |title=Amazon eyes ads and upcharges for Alexa Plus |url=https://www.theverge.com/analysis/717763/amazon-alexa-plus-ai-ads-revenue-subscription-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250802232240/https://www.theverge.com/analysis/717763/amazon-alexa-plus-ai-ads-revenue-subscription-plans |archive-date=2 Aug 2025 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>

*Business Insider suggests Amazon’s multi-year Alexa restructuring and layoffs set the stage for a premium tier. Premium Alexa could unlock significant new revenue if a fraction of users subscribe. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-24 |title=Buy Rating on Amazon: Anticipating Revenue Growth from Premium Alexa Subscription and Margin Improvement |url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/buy-rating-on-amazon-anticipating-revenue-growth-from-premium-alexa-subscription-and-margin-improvement-1033500019?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251201105724/https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/buy-rating-on-amazon-anticipating-revenue-growth-from-premium-alexa-subscription-and-margin-improvement-1033500019 |archive-date=1 Dec 2025 |access-date=1 Dec 2025 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage]]
*[[Amazon]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Amazon]]
[[Category:Articles requiring expansion]]
[[Category:Incidents]]

Winston-Salem Journal

2026-02-06T08:04:04Z

PeaceSeekers:

{{StubNotice}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Description=
|Founded=1897
|Industry=News
|Logo=Winston-salem-journal-logo.png
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Private
|Website=https://journalnow.com/
}}
The [[wikipedia:Winston-Salem_Journal|'''Winston-Salem Journal''']] is an American daily newspaper primarily serving the eponymous area. It is owned by Lee Enterprises.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://investors.lee.net/static-files/d97194ec-e9c5-4e1c-8c74-a05e37542331|title=Lee Enterprises, Incorporated|website=Lee Enterprises|access-date=6 Feb 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206075305/https://investors.lee.net/static-files/d97194ec-e9c5-4e1c-8c74-a05e37542331|archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

==Anti-consumer practices==
===Lack of [[click-to-cancel]]===
[[File:Screenshot 2025-01-22 at 6.49.12 AM.png|thumb|WS Journal Cancelation Page]]
The paper's subscription is $1 per month subscription for 3 months. After 3 months the subscription is $20 per month. Unsubscribing is only available by calling a customer service phone number.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://journalnow.com/helpcenter/how-can-i-cancel-my-subscription/article_439fdf56-71a8-11ee-8511-2becfb44d3a7.html|title= How can I cancel my subscription? |website=Winston-Salem Journal|date=13 Sep 2023|access-date=6 Feb 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401140714/https://journalnow.com/helpcenter/how-can-i-cancel-my-subscription/article_439fdf56-71a8-11ee-8511-2becfb44d3a7.html|archive-date=1 Apr 2025}}</ref>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Winston-Salem Journal]]

Winston-Salem Journal

2026-02-06T08:03:02Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

{{StubNotice}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Description=
|Founded=1897
|Industry=News
|Logo=Winston-salem-journal-logo.png
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Private
|Website=https://journalnow.com/
}}
The [[wikipedia:Winston-Salem_Journal|'''Winston-Salem Journal''']] is an American daily newspaper primarily serving the eponymous area. It is owned by Lee Enterprises.<ref>{{cite web|https://investors.lee.net/static-files/d97194ec-e9c5-4e1c-8c74-a05e37542331|title=Lee Enterprises, Incorporated|website=Lee Enterprises|access-date=6 Feb 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206075305/https://investors.lee.net/static-files/d97194ec-e9c5-4e1c-8c74-a05e37542331|archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

==Anti-consumer practices==
===Lack of [[click-to-cancel]]===
[[File:Screenshot 2025-01-22 at 6.49.12 AM.png|thumb|WS Journal Cancelation Page]]
The paper's subscription is $1 per month subscription for 3 months. After 3 months the subscription is $20 per month. Unsubscribing is only available by calling a customer service phone number.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://journalnow.com/helpcenter/how-can-i-cancel-my-subscription/article_439fdf56-71a8-11ee-8511-2becfb44d3a7.html|title= How can I cancel my subscription? |website=Winston-Salem Journal|date=13 Sep 2023|access-date=6 Feb 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401140714/https://journalnow.com/helpcenter/how-can-i-cancel-my-subscription/article_439fdf56-71a8-11ee-8511-2becfb44d3a7.html|archive-date=1 Apr 2025}}</ref>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Winston-Salem Journal]]

Xbox Network

2026-02-06T07:48:50Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

{{ProductCargo
|Company=Xbox, Microsoft
|ProductLine=Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series
|ReleaseYear=2002
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Service
|Category=Server, Video Games
|Logo=Xbox Network Logo.webp
|Website=https://xbox.com/live
|Description=The online subscription service that is required for users to play online on Xbox consoles
}}'''Xbox Network''', formerly ''Xbox Live'', is a subscription service launched on November 15th, 2002, for the original [[Xbox]]. In 2021, [[Microsoft]] rebranded ''Xbox Live'' to ''Xbox Network''.

==Consumer-impact summary==

*'''User Freedom''': Service is mandatory for users intending to play online games, however in 2021, free-to-play games do not have this requirement.<ref>{{cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=March 22, 2021 |title=Microsoft rebrands Xbox Live to Xbox network |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/22/22345276/microsoft-xbox-live-network-rebrand-name-change |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517220803/https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/22/22345276/microsoft-xbox-live-network-rebrand-name-change |archive-date=May 17, 2021 |access-date=Nov 17, 2025 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>
*'''User Privacy''': Same data collection practices as-is outlined by other [[Microsoft]] products.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=October 2025 |title=Microsoft Privacy Statement |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement |archive-url=https://archive.ph/B0BqU |archive-date=11 Oct 2025 |access-date=Nov 17, 2025 |website=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref>
*'''Business Model''': When formerly ''Xbox Live'', functioned as a [[subscription service]] to access online features. In 2021, it now covers [[Xbox Game Pass|''Xbox Game Pass'']], among other subscription-based monetization models. Additionally receives revenue from product sales on the [[Microsoft Store]].
*'''Market Control''': Exclusively available for [[Xbox]] and [[Windows]] platforms; only option for online features on current [[Xbox]] consoles.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Service shutdowns===

====Games for Windows Live - Unknown====
''Games for Windows Live'' (GFWL), the version of ''Xbox Live'' intended for [[Windows]] PCs at the time, was announced to shut down on July 1st, 2014,<ref>{{cite web |date=August 19, 2013 |title=Microsoft: Games for Windows Live service ending July 2014 |url=http://www.polygon.com/2013/8/19/4637694/microsoft-games-for-windows-live-service-ending-july-2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201557/http://www.polygon.com/2013/8/19/4637694/microsoft-games-for-windows-live-service-ending-july-2014 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |access-date=November 17, 2025 |work=Polygon}}</ref> however [[Microsoft]] stated that GFWL would not be shut down roughly 1 month before the announced shutdown.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maiberg |first=Emanuel |date=June 21, 2014 |title=Microsoft Says It's Not Shutting Down Games for Windows Live |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-says-it-s-not-shutting-down-games-for-windows-live/1100-6420654/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625081927/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-says-it-s-not-shutting-down-games-for-windows-live/1100-6420654/ |archive-date=June 25, 2014 |access-date=November 17, 2025 |work=Video Games |publisher=Gamespot}}</ref> Regardless of the announcement, features under GFWL progressively deprecated since 2014, most importantly for right to ownership, the game license activation service, which was required in order to launch any game released for GFWL.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bari |first=Muhammad Ali |date=April 20, 2025 |title=Games For Windows Live Game License Activation Service No Longer Appears To Be Functional |url=https://twistedvoxel.com/games-for-windows-live-license-activation-service-no-longer-functional/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250420154208/https://twistedvoxel.com/games-for-windows-live-license-activation-service-no-longer-functional/ |archive-date=20 Apr 2025 |access-date=Nov 17, 2025 |work=Twisted Voxel}}</ref>

In 2020, the GFWL client download page was removed, and server support for logging in was wiped. 2 years later, logins stopped functioning.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Games for Windows- Live dead, broken & shutdown without warning, 2020 onwards. |url=https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/124458-games-for-windows-live-dead-broken-shutdown-without-warning-2020-onwards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809192832/https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/124458-games-for-windows-live-dead-broken-shutdown-without-warning-2020-onwards/ |archive-date=August 9, 2024 |access-date=Nov 17, 2025 |website=Doomworld |language=en-US}}</ref>

====Games With Gold - September 2023====
Prior to September 14th, 2023, users who paid for ''Xbox Live Gold'' received 3 free games that were permanently added to the user's account each month under the "Games With Gold" program. When ''Xbox Live Gold'' was transitioned to ''[[Game Pass]] Core'', subscribers instead receive temporary access to a rotating selection of 25 randomly chosen titles on ''Game Pass''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=Jul 17, 2023 |title=End of an Era as Microsoft Replaces Xbox Live Gold With Game Pass Core |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/end-of-an-era-as-microsoft-replaces-xbox-live-gold-with-game-pass-core |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717153540/https://www.ign.com/articles/end-of-an-era-as-microsoft-replaces-xbox-live-gold-with-game-pass-core |archive-date=17 Jul 2023 |access-date=Nov 17, 2025 |work=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=2023-07-17 |title=Xbox Game Pass Core to replace Xbox Live Gold in September |url=https://www.polygon.com/23797388/xbox-live-gold-ending-game-pass-core |access-date=Nov 17, 2025 |website=Polygon |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206073738/https://www.polygon.com/23797388/xbox-live-gold-ending-game-pass-core/ |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=September 14, 2023 |title=Xbox Game Pass Core is launching with 36 games this week |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/13/23871737/xbox-game-pass-core-36-games-release-date |accessdate=Nov 17, 2025 |work=[[The Verge]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206074318/https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/13/23871737/xbox-game-pass-core-36-games-release-date |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

====First-generation Xbox Live Shutdown - 2010====
[Stub section - to be written]

===Xbox GamePass===
[Stub section - to be written]

==See also==

===Online subscription services===

*[[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Switch Online (NSO)]]
*[[PlayStation Network|PlayStation Network (PSN)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Xiaomi Phone unlock requirements and procedure

2026-02-06T07:32:57Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

{{Incomplete}}
{{GuideNotice}}
Most [[Xiaomi]] phones come with a bootloader that might be able to unlock, but unlike the [https://source.android.com/docs/core/architecture/bootloader/locking_unlocking Android's default unlocking procedure], Xiaomi had the following requirements in 2022:<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=J C |title=Complete Guide to Unlocking the Bootloader: Announcement, Troubleshoot and Tips |url=https://new.c.mi.com/global/post/101245 |website=Xiaomi Community |date=20 Aug 2022 |access-date=19 Dec 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902130654/https://new.c.mi.com/global/post/101245 |archive-date=2 Sep 2022}}</ref>

*The user must create and link a Xiaomi account to their phone
**This requires accepting the [https://static.account.xiaomi.com/html/agreement/user/global/en_US.html EULA] for creating an account
***Stated directly in the EULA is the following<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Xiaomi Account User Agreement |url=https://static.account.xiaomi.com/html/agreement/user/global/en_US.html |website=Xiaomi |date= |access-date=19 Dec 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120091426/https://static.account.xiaomi.com/html/agreement/user/global/en_US.html |archive-date=20 Jan 2025}}</ref><blockquote>6. Modification of this Agreement Xiaomi may need to revise this Agreement and various rules from time to time in accordance with the promulgation of laws and regulations, the development of the Internet, and the adjustment of the company's operating conditions and business strategies. We will notify you of the new agreement in an appropriate manner, and you may view the latest version of the terms of the agreement on the relevant service page. '''Once the revised agreement and rules are announced, they will take effect immediately and become an integral part of this Agreement. If you do not agree to the modified terms, you shall immediately discontinue your use of our services.''' Your continued access or use of our services shall be deemed as your acceptance of the modified agreement.</blockquote>
*The user must use the [https://en.miui.com/unlock/download_en.html official Mi Unlock app] (only available for [[Windows]])
*For certain devices, Xiaomi requires users to <ref name=":0" /> <blockquote>Click on Unlock » Unlock anyway. On your first attempt, Mi Unlock will flash the message ''Couldn’t unlock. Please unlock 168 hours later.'' Follow the timer / waiting period to unlock successfully.</blockquote>
*Effective January 2025, Xiaomi has updated its bootloader unlocking policy to make it difficult for users to unlock the bootloaders on their devices. The updates include but are not limited to:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bardakçı |first=Emir |date=30 Dec 2024 |title=Xiaomi global bootloader unlock policy has changed |url=https://xiaomitime.com/xiaomi-global-bootloader-unlock-policy-has-changed-20295/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610163620/https://xiaomitime.com/xiaomi-updates-the-rules-about-bootloader-unlocking-on-hyperos-20175/ |archive-date=10 Jun 2025 |access-date=10 Jun 2025 |website=XiaomiTime}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bardakçı |first=Emir |date=2024-12-26 |title=Xiaomi updates the rules about Bootloader Unlocking on HyperOS |url=https://xiaomitime.com/xiaomi-updates-the-rules-about-bootloader-unlocking-on-hyperos-20175/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610163620/https://xiaomitime.com/xiaomi-updates-the-rules-about-bootloader-unlocking-on-hyperos-20175/ |archive-date=10 Jun 2025 |access-date=10 Jun 2025 |website=XiaomiTime}}</ref>
**Limiting users to only one device bootloader unlock per year, down from three
**Bootloaders need to be re-locked for MIUI users to update to HyperOS
**Only 2,000 devices per day can be unlocked across the world.<ref>{{Cite web |author=bartoszsz7 |title=New bootloader unlocking procedure on HyperOS |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/Xiaomi/comments/1ag4fsh/new_bootloader_unlocking_procedure_on_hyperos/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=1 Feb 2024 |access-date=19 Dec 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251220012722/https://old.reddit.com/r/Xiaomi/comments/1ag4fsh/new_bootloader_unlocking_procedure_on_hyperos/  |archive-date=20 Dec 2025}}</ref> People are using bots to login at midnight (Chinese time), when the 2,000 slots are released — making unlocking practically impossible.<ref name=AQLR/>
**An attempt to unlock the bootloader of a device made for the China market will show as error 20045, as shown on [https://xdaforums.com/t/i-cannot-unlock-boot-loader-not-able-to-register-the-phone.4698691/ xdaforums]. This is unavoidable unless you have a Chinese Xiaomi account and you are in China.<ref>{{Cite web |author=电竞小先锋 |date=10 Feb 2025 |title=小米2025年BootLoader解锁新规解析及影响 |trans-title=Analysis and Impact of Xiaomi's New Regulations on Bootloader Unlocking in 2025 |url=https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1828801948887224251&wfr=spider&for=pc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018041935/https://mbd.baidu.com/newspage/data/landingsuper?id=1828801948887224251&wfr=&third=baijiahao&baijiahao_id=1828801948887224251&c_source=kunlun&c_score=0.999000&p_tk=1269dwqAVmK5CrvpJCXkYGqG2%2B1B0sdeDRr9JcT2M6c0UyLFCvR7WWj9XEspUVBan5qBVYBlOy3bEHOhV%2B2bkW2bD8h9NXpMH1T2P6abb07kGjFJLZAbNqnzoMRBkXzNTMDgfg%2ByOfqgm2s6qCe91s9qxg%3D%3D&p_timestamp=1760761044&p_sign=9b8bc844e1e6cec6f9db6815f6e618c5&p_signature=96f6c1e8f437370c45bb105be9a179d1&__pc2ps_ab=1269dwqAVmK5CrvpJCXkYGqG2%2B1B0sdeDRr9JcT2M6c0UyLFCvR7WWj9XEspUVBan5qBVYBlOy3bEHOhV%2B2bkW2bD8h9NXpMH1T2P6abb07kGjFJLZAbNqnzoMRBkXzNTMDgfg%2ByOfqgm2s6qCe91s9qxg%3D%3D%7C1760761044%7C96f6c1e8f437370c45bb105be9a179d1%7C9b8bc844e1e6cec6f9db6815f6e618c5 |archive-date=18 Oct 2025 |access-date=18 Oct 2025 |website=百度首页 |lang=zh-hans}}</ref>[[File:Xiaomi Error 20045.jpg|center|thumb|What the 20045 error looks like (account location not matching vendor location).]]

===Ways around the limitations===
On some MediaTek-based devices, users with advanced technical skills can try unofficial means such as using [https://github.com/bkerler/mtkclient mtkclient] to try and unlock the bootloader without going through the official Xiaomi procedure. This should be done at the ''users' own risk'', as it voids the warranty, may brick the device and/or lock the device out from all official means of unlocking.

As of 2025 there is still a way to get round the limited number of authorizations for the many Xiaomi devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, which was working with devices running HyperOS 3 in 2025.<ref name=AQLR>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=How to unlock bootloader on Xiaomi HyperOS(all devices,except CN).  |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-unlock-bootloader-on-xiaomi-hyperos-all-devices-except-cn.4654009/ |website=XDA Forums |date=1 Feb 2024 |access-date=19 Dec 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206073026/https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-unlock-bootloader-on-xiaomi-hyperos-all-devices-except-cn.4654009/ |archive-date=6 Feb 2026 }}</ref> Other ways published in the past no longer worked.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Xiaomi]]

YouTube

2026-02-06T07:23:32Z

PeaceSeekers:

{{ProductLineCargo
|ArticleType=Service
|Category=Streaming, Video
|Company=Google
|Description=
|InProduction=Yes
|Logo=YouTube.png
|ReleaseYear=2005
|Website=https://youtube.com
}}
'''{{Wplink|YouTube}}''', founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, is a global video-sharing platform and one of the most visited websites in the world. Acquired by [[Google]] in 2006, YouTube has since become the dominant platform for sharing videos on the internet.

YouTube's business model is built around advertising revenue, with creators earning money through ad views, subscriptions, and other monetization options. The platform hosts a wide range of content, including music videos, tutorials, news, vlogs, and live streams. YouTube has also begun offering subscription services, such as YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, for ad-free experiences, exclusive content, and live television.<ref>{{Cite web |title=YouTube - Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201032636/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube |archive-date=1 Feb 2025 |access-date=30 Jan 2025 |website=Wikipedia}}</ref>

YouTube has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny on multiple fronts. Concerns have been raised about content moderation policies, the platform's role in the spread of misinformation, and its impact on user privacy, particularly in relation to data collection practices. Additionally, YouTube has been under fire for its algorithms, which some argue promote harmful or divisive content to maximize engagement.

==Consumer Impact Summary==

*'''User Freedom''': Questionable; rampant bots and [[Elsagate]] suggest negligent moderation.
*'''User Privacy''': Poor; Since August 2025, accessing mature content without identification is a gamble. User data is also sold to advertisers and the site is owned by [[Google]].
*'''Business Model''': [[Advertising overload|Excessive advertising]], YouTube Premium, YouTube Premium Lite
*'''Market Competition''': Despite several platforms that follow its niche, such as Odysee, [[PeerTube]], and DailyMotion, they provide no significant competition.

==Incidents==

===Restricting users that don't share their personal information===
{{Main|Youtube age verification}}

On July 30, 2025, in response to the [[UK Online Safety Act]], YouTube announced a verification update that asks for either a government-issued ID, a photo, or credit card, otherwise they could not access content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingram |first=Michael |date=30 Jul 2025 |title=YouTube is Rolling Out A New Controversial Feature |url=https://gamerant.com/youtube-new-age-verification-feature-id-recognition/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730234131/https://gamerant.com/youtube-new-age-verification-feature-id-recognition/ |archive-date=30 Jul 2025 |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=GameRant}}</ref>

YouTube will estimate the age of a user from various sources, including the videos watched, and will ask for previously mentioned personal information when it believes that the user falls below 18.

===Advertising overload on YouTube===
{{Main|Advertising overload}}

Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=How YouTube Works |url=https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260101140008/https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/creator-economy/ |archive-date=1 Jan 2026 |access-date= |website=YouTube}}</ref> This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jordan |date=20 Jan 2024 |title=Why YouTube Has So Many Ads (and Why There Will Probably Be More) |url=https://www.33rdsquare.com/software-app/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.md/0x7Q3 |archive-date=26 Jan 2026 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=33rd Square}}</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads, longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch,<ref>{{Cite web |first=Aamir |last=Siddiqui |title=Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Updated: Clarification) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128162022/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Hans-Christian |last=Dirscherl |first2=Joel |last2=Lee |title=Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |website=PCWorld |date=28 Jan 2025 |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129183554/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |archive-date=29 Jan 2025}}</ref> and most prevalent on YouTube TV, <ref>{{Cite web |last=Adegbola |first=Anu |date=16 Aug 2024 |title=YouTube tests longer CTV ad breaks |url=https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248#:~:text=YouTube%20is%20increasing%20the%20duration,ads%20over%20shorter%2C%20dispersed%20slots. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816143812/https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248 |archive-date=16 Aug 2024 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=Search Engine Land}}</ref>) increased ad frequency in videos,<ref>{{Cite web |first=Arol |last=Wright |title=YouTube is Adding Even More Ads |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |website=How-To-Geek |date=26 Apr 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192258/https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |archive-date=26 Apr 2024}}</ref> and poorer quality ads.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |author=@T3rr0r |date=17 Oct 2021 |title=BAD Mobile Game Ads |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |archive-date=26 Jan 2026 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |first=Max |last=Knoblauch |title=Why are mobile game ads so weird and bad? |url=https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |website=Sherwood News |date=14 Jun 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614151756/https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |archive-date=14 Jun 2024}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |author=@Saberspark |date=18 Sep 2021 |title=The DISGUSTING State of Mobile Game Ads (and why YouTube LOVES IT) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |archive-date=26 Jan 2026 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Practices are also put into place in order to force non-paying users into seeing these ads as well, such as subscription-gating playing videos in the background.<ref>{{Cite web |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AEC |website=[[YouTube]] |access-date=6 Feb 2026 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206072120/https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AED|archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

Furthermore, even if a user pays for YouTube premium, they do not necessarily receive an ad-free experience<ref>{{Cite web |author=CaptainMystery_123 |title=I have YouTube premium, why am I getting adds. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18ll7y6/i_have_youtube_premium_why_am_i_getting_adds/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=18 Dec 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219183511/https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18ll7y6/i_have_youtube_premium_why_am_i_getting_adds/ |archive-date=19 Dec 2023
}}</ref> — they may still see ads within the video they watch, such as sponsored segments.{{Citation needed}} YouTube has added a "skip" feature, but it has been reported that this does not work consistently.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Anurag |last=Singh |title=YouTube now lets you skip sponsored segments — but you’ll have to pay for it |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/youtube-now-lets-you-skip-sponsored-segments-but-youll-have-to-pay-for-it-2872784/ |website=Dexerto |date=22 Aug 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240822211151/https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/youtube-now-lets-you-skip-sponsored-segments-but-youll-have-to-pay-for-it-2872784/ |archive-date=22 Aug 2024}}</ref>

====Refusal to handle malicious ads====
A common phenomenon on YouTube's advertisements is content that is mature and/or malicious in nature.<ref>{{Cite web |author=@Beyond The Internet |date=22 Feb 2025 |title=YouTube Ads are a Disgrace… |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B2KdIoRVo8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=_B2KdIoRVo8 |archive-date=23 Feb 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |first=Adamya |last=Sharma |title=Explicit ads are plaguing YouTube, and it’s only getting worse |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-explicit-ads-problem-3520285/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127062033/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-explicit-ads-problem-3520285/ |archive-date=27 Jan 2025}}</ref> The content of these advertisements include pornography,<ref>{{Cite web |author=@Saberspark |date=31 Mar 2025 |title=YouTube's Ads Have Hit A New Low...(it's literally p*rn) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW4On_gWAvI |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=cW4On_gWAvI |archive-date=2 Apr 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":8" /> false advertising,<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> scams,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Jakob_G |title=YouTube doesn't want to take down scam ads |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18gjiqy/youtube_doesnt_want_to_take_down_scam_ads/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=12 Dec 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217144248/https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18gjiqy/youtube_doesnt_want_to_take_down_scam_ads/ |archive-date=17 Dec 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=@JerryRigEverything |date=9 Mar 2023 |title=I CAUGHT THE YOUTUBE SCAMMER - $1000 dollars EVERY DAY?! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROF9Dd7FXA |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=iROF9Dd7FXA |archive-date=26 Jan 2026 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|author=LoganAH |title=Why does YouTube run blatant scams as advertisements? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18osjs6/why_does_youtube_run_blatant_scams_as/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=22 Dec 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250713054442/https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18osjs6/why_does_youtube_run_blatant_scams_as/  |archive-date=13 Jul 2025}}</ref> and far more. Rather than working towards clearing these ads, or acknowledging this advertising content that has been harming consumers on the platform, YouTube moderation has only cut the revenue for these videos that attempt to call out these ads,<ref>{{Cite web |author=@Deep Humor |date=24 Feb 2025 |title=Watch This Before YouTube Deletes It. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRpECEQ0-hg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=QRpECEQ0-hg |archive-date=26 Feb 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> which has been known to make said videos be less-showcased.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |author=@Sealow |date=29 Nov 2017 |title=Extensive evidence of algorithm censorship of demonetised videos |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3H8D2LrLHc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=n3H8D2LrLHc |archive-date=26 Jan 2026 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |author=Karlaplan |title=Monetisation analysis / research |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/155yNpfR7dGKuN-4rbrvbJLcJkhGa_HqvVuyPK7UEfPo/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.jou9rc5d49jl
|website=[[Google]] |date=20 Nov 2017 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319182149/https://docs.google.com/document/d/155yNpfR7dGKuN-4rbrvbJLcJkhGa_HqvVuyPK7UEfPo/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.jou9rc5d49jl  |archive-date=19 Mar 2025}}</ref>

===Demonetization and censorship===
Since at least 2016, YouTube has had an extensive record of censoring content that is demonetized.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /> Within understandable circumstances, legitimately malicious or offensive videos would be demonetized and should not be shown on the platform; however, how videos are considered to be demonetized has had a harmful impact upon both viewers and content creators. Transgender creators on YouTube, for example, have experienced unfair censorship via demonetization since 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Malia |last=Disney |title=Trans YouTubers Say They Are Being Censored. Is It The Algorithm? |url=https://archive.yr.media/journalism/outloud/trans-youtubers-say-they-are-being-censored-and-an-algorithm-may-be-to-blame/ |website=archive.yr.media |date=4 May 2018 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130035845/https://archive.yr.media/journalism/outloud/trans-youtubers-say-they-are-being-censored-and-an-algorithm-may-be-to-blame/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2023}}</ref> Content creators affected by this unfairly balanced moderation via algorithms<ref>{{Cite web |first=Randy |last=Cantz |title=Adpocalypse: How YouTube Demonetization Imperils the Future of Free Speech |url=https://bpr.studentorg.berkeley.edu/2018/05/01/adpocalypse-how-youtube-demonetization-imperils-the-future-of-free-speech/ |website=Berkeley Political Review |date=1 May 2018 |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424095310/https://bpr.studentorg.berkeley.edu/2018/05/01/adpocalypse-how-youtube-demonetization-imperils-the-future-of-free-speech/ |archive-date=24 Apr 2024}}</ref> have dubbed these events as "adpocalypses".<ref>{{Cite web |first=Julia |last=Alexander |title=YouTubers fear looming ‘adpocalypse’ after child exploitation controversy |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18231561/youtube-child-exploitation-predators-controversy-creators-adpocalypse |website=The Verge |date=20 Feb 2019 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220205927/https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18231561/youtube-child-exploitation-predators-controversy-creators-adpocalypse |archive-date=20 Feb 2019}}</ref>

====Irresponsibly automated moderation====
When YouTube integrated the ability to take down videos via the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] (DMCA), they decided to often handle take-down requests in an automated manner.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |first=Chuck |last=Jines |title=ABUSE – How DMCA automated takedown notices violate free speech |url=https://www.chuckjines.com/abuse-dmac-automated-takedown-notices-and-free-speech/ |website=Chuck Jines |date=4 Mar 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250303201747/https://www.chuckjines.com/abuse-dmac-automated-takedown-notices-and-free-speech/ |archive-date=3 Mar 2025}}</ref> This automation has led to an excess in fraudulent DMCA take-downs of content,<ref>{{Cite web |author=itanshi |title=I'd like to talk about the problem with anonymous DMCA take down notices. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/5zzr9c/id_like_to_talk_about_the_problem_with_anonymous/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=27 Mar 2017 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606184354/https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/5zzr9c/id_like_to_talk_about_the_problem_with_anonymous/ |archive-date=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=@The Last Civil Rights Lawyer |date=21 Jul 2021 |title=“Lackluster” Gets a Fraudulent Copyright Strike for Dashcam Footage and Now We Sue |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPqtT88PT9Y |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=rPqtT88PT9Y |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> even going so far as to have [[Bungie]] call out YouTube in a legal case for their negligence.<ref>{{Cite web |first=John |last= Brodkin |title=Bungie slams YouTube’s DMCA system in lawsuit against ''Destiny'' takedown fraudsters |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/03/bungie-slams-youtubes-dmca-system-in-lawsuit-against-destiny-takedown-fraudsters/ |website=Ars Technica |date=28 Mar 2022 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329203809/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/03/bungie-slams-youtubes-dmca-system-in-lawsuit-against-destiny-takedown-fraudsters/ |archive-date=29 Mar 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Andy |last=Maxwell
|title=Digital Trails: How Bungie Identified a Mass Sender of Fake DMCA Notices |url=https://torrentfreak.com/digital-trails-how-bungie-identified-a-mass-sender-of-fake-dmca-notices-220624/ |website=TorrentFreak |date=24 Jun 2022 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624070824/https://torrentfreak.com/digital-trails-how-bungie-identified-a-mass-sender-of-fake-dmca-notices-220624/ |archive-date=24 Jun 2022}}</ref> These take-down requests have ranged from users impersonating corporations, to users impersonating other users.<ref name=":3" />

===Crackdown against ad-blockers===
The prevalence of advertising on the platform, coupled with the repeated appearance of harmful and deceptive ads within YouTube's advertising system, has led a significant number of users to employ ad-blocking tools to facilitate their viewing experience.

In response, Google has initiated technical countermeasures to limit the functionality of these tools. This has resulted in an ongoing cycle where ad-blocker developers adapt to new restrictions, and the platform subsequently implements further detection methods. A key strategy in this effort involves the implementation of advanced code integrity checks designed to ensure ad content is delivered to viewers.

However, these measures typically exhibit limited efficacy before ad-blocking tools develop new methods of circumvention,<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Flaherty |first=Kate |date=20 Jun 2024 |title=YouTube’s Ad Blocker Ban Just Got Even Bigger |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620123932/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/ |archive-date=20 Jun 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Scharon |last=Harding |title=YouTube’s ad blocker crackdown escalates, aggravating users |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/11/youtube-tries-to-kill-ad-blockers-in-push-for-ad-dollars-premium-subs/ |website=Ars Technica |date=1 Nov 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101170643/https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/11/youtube-tries-to-kill-ad-blockers-in-push-for-ad-dollars-premium-subs/ |archive-date=1 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMaFH4KzOVg YouTube blocks adblockers; will this be their downfall?]</ref> a dynamic that some analysts suggest exemplifies the<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brave no longer blocking youtube ads as of March 27, 2024 |url=https://community.brave.com/t/brave-no-longer-blocking-youtube-ads-as-of-march-27-2024/540032 |website=Brave |date=27 May 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801101510/https://community.brave.com/t/brave-no-longer-blocking-youtube-ads-as-of-march-27-2024/540032 |archive-date=1 Aug 2024}}</ref><nowiki> </nowiki>{{Wplink|Streisand effect}}.<ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GARcKCaUfI YouTube's adblock war is backfiring in the worst way possible 🤣]</ref>

Additional strategies have involved the integration of advertisements directly into video streams. This approach has impaired the functionality of certain browser extensions, including SponsorBlock, a community-driven tool designed to skip sponsored segments within videos. The extension relies on user-submitted timestamps to identify these segments; its effectiveness is significantly reduced when personalized advertisements, which vary in duration and placement for each viewer, are embedded into the stream itself.<ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weP62wPEjRw Youtube is dedicated to making this website worse; destroys sponsorblock with ad injection changes]</ref>

Google has publicly acknowledged implementing code that degrades the user experience for individuals using ad blockers. This includes introducing artificial latency, which has been documented to slow page load times, a measure that also affected users of the Firefox browser.<ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMLMQRS3Krk Youtube confirms intentional slowdown of adblock users 🤦‍♂️]</ref><ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x7NSw0Irc0 Is Youtube making firefox load slow on purpose?]</ref>
Further viewing:
<ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=fcXTlobPCQw Youtube goes to war with ad blockers - how companies die]</ref><ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=ALvky_4mJpM Youtube adblocker gives Google the finger on their own platform]</ref><ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=PTmZv7-eMrE Youtube's war on adblockers continues, sends cease & desist to invidious.io - you know what to do 😉]</ref>

====Offline video DRM====
The YouTube Mobile application permits users with a YouTube Premium subscription to download videos for offline viewing. However, the downloaded content is protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM) that requires the application to establish an online connection with YouTube's servers at least once every 48 hours to maintain playback functionality. This requirement is not prominently featured on the primary YouTube Premium marketing page and is detailed instead within the platform's support documentation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/u9yLW |archive-date=2025-11-11 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch videos offline on mobile in selected countries and regions |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719175650/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |archive-date=19 Jul 2025 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref>

Saved videos are forcibly deleted after 29 days. [[Data_lock-in#Videos_downloaded_inside_the_YouTube_app|Data lock-in and proprietary encoding]] prevents the user from making permanent copies of videos, even those licensed under Creative Commons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santos |first=Noel |date=2024-12-07 |title=Warning: Youtube Premium "Downloads" aren't MP4 Files |url=https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/eeX0J |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Virtual Curiousities}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mental Outlaw |title=Google is Locking Down Android |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

====Universal DRM testing and violation of Creative Commons licences====
YouTube on TV is an HTML5 web interface from Google to allow supported devices — such as game consoles which do not have a native YouTube app — to view content via YouTube. An A/B experiment has begun which protects all video and audio content regardless of bitrate or format via the YouTube on TV platform with DRM.<ref>{{Cite web |author=coletdjnz |title=[YouTube] DRM on ALL videos with tv (TVHTML5) client #12563 |url=https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12563 |website=GitHub |date=8 Mar 2025 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330031529/https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12563 |archive-date=30 Mar 2025}}</ref> One {{Wplink|Xbox 360}} user reported that the YouTube on TV functionality stopped working as a result of the DRM implementation{{Citation needed|date=18 Aug 2025}}. A number of content creators license their work uploaded to YouTube via the {{Wplink|Creative Commons}} licenses. The universal implementation of DRM to restrict a users ability to exercise their rights granted by the license is a violation of the aforementioned licenses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=License Versions
|url=https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/License_Versions#Application_of_effective_technological_measures_by_users_of_CC-licensed_works_prohibited |website=Creative Commons |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101062938/https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/License_Versions#Application_of_effective_technological_measures_by_users_of_CC-licensed_works_prohibited |archive-date=1 Jan 2025}}</ref>

===Paywalling standard browser features===
Another premium feature of the YouTube mobile app is the ability to play videos in the background.<ref name=":0" /> Without a premium subscription, neither the app nor a web browser will play YouTube videos in the background. However, the default HTML5 video player supports this with no extra effort needed from the developer.{{Citation needed}}

===Removal of the dislike count on videos===
On 10 November 2021, YouTube removed the public dislike count from all of its videos. Creators are still be able to view dislike counts on their videos through the YouTube Studio website and app.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=An update to dislikes on YouTube |url=https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/update-to-youtube/ |website=YouTube Official Blog |date=10 Nov 2021 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110173333/https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/update-to-youtube/ |archive-date=10 Nov 2021}}</ref>

According to YouTube, this was implemented after user testing revealed that users were less likely to feel incentivized to actively try and manipulate the dislike count on videos if the dislike count was not visible to them.<ref name=":2" /> This spurred the creation of "Return YouTube Dislike" by Dmitry Selivanov, a third-party web browser extension to expose the dislike count again. YouTube discontinued the related API, upon which the extension relied, on 13 December 2021. From thereon "Return YouTube Dislike" switched "to using a combination of archived dislike stats, estimates extrapolated from extension user data and estimates based on view/like ratios for videos whose dislikes weren't archived and for outdated dislike archives."<ref>{{Cite web |first=Michael |last=Can |title=Browser Extension Brings Back Dislike Count to YouTube Videos |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/browser-extension-brings-back-dislike-count-to-youtube-videos
|website=PC Mag |date=29 Nov 2021 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130001311/https://www.pcmag.com/news/browser-extension-brings-back-dislike-count-to-youtube-videos |archive-date=30 Nov 2021}}</ref>
===Anti-features and dark patterns to trick the user into staying longer===
YouTube's algorithm was engineered to make the user watch more videos than they intended, to earn more ad revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicas |first=Jack |date=7 Feb 2018 |title=How YouTube Drives People to the Internet’s Darkest Corners |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-youtube-drives-viewers-to-the-internets-darkest-corners-1518020478 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208091112/https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-youtube-drives-viewers-to-the-internets-darkest-corners-1518020478 |archive-date=8 Dec 2018 |access-date=29 Jan 2026 |website=The Wall Street Journal |quote=YouTube engineered its algorithm several years ago to make the site “sticky”—to recommend videos that keep users staying to watch still more, said current and former YouTube engineers who helped build it. The site earns money selling ads that run before and during videos.}}</ref> On top of a feature called Autoplay, which queues another video (chosen by Youtube's algorithm) and plays that automatically after a short delay so you keep watching more. Especially children will through this mechanism have their attention extracted for several hours.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=2 Nov 2018 |others=NPR/TED Staff |title=James Bridle: What Do Kids' Videos on YouTube Reveal About the Internet's Dark Side? |url=https://www.npr.org/transcripts/662612151 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250620234159/https://www.npr.org/transcripts/662612151 |archive-date=20 Jun 2025 |access-date=29 Jan 2026 |website=NPR |quote="And also, on the other side of the screen, there still are these little kids watching this stuff - right? - their full attention grabbed by these weird mechanisms. And so there's autoplay, where it just keeps playing these videos over and over and over on a loop, endlessly, for hours and hours at a time. And there's so much weirdness in the system now that autoplay takes you to some pretty strange places. This is how within, like, a dozen steps, you can go from a cute video of a counting train to masturbating Mickey Mouse."}}</ref>

<blockquote>This is how within, like, a dozen steps, you can go from a cute video of a counting train to masturbating Mickey Mouse — James Bridle<ref name=":9" /></blockquote>By default, this feature is enabled.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Apr 2025 |title=Autoplay videos - YouTube Help |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6327615?hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401080124/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6327615?hl=en |archive-date=1 Apr 2025 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref> Another feature like this is the inclusion of irrelevant videos in search results, which are marked as "related".{{Citation needed}} If the user searches for something and scrolls down the list too far, the likelihood of them finding what they were looking for decreases since results are generally sorted by what the platform deems relevant to the search query. Hence, if the user scrolls down too far, it is likely that they give up and leave the site. Therefore YouTube started to add random videos out of its recommendation list for the user into the search results, increasing the probability that they see something they will click and watch.{{Citation needed}} This makes it much harder and more inconvenient to find relevant search results since the user has to scroll past all the noise that is designed to distract them. Since unrelated videos are promoted in search in its place, it means that a low engagement video that is actually relevant is less likely to be discovered.{{Citation needed}}

===High number of bots===
Upon the initial publication of a video, the comment section is frequently targeted by coordinated automated accounts.{{Citation needed}} These accounts often engage in disruptive activities, including attempts to direct users to external scams or artificially inflate engagement.{{Citation needed}}

These accounts commonly employ identifiable tactics, such as:

*Utilizing profile pictures of popular public figures or suggestive imagery.
*Reposting highly-liked comments from the same video, sometimes with minor edits if the comment gains significant traction.
*Posting generic comments that are irrelevant to the video's content or the channel's focus.

Despite consistent feedback from content creators and the broader community, effective platform-level measures to automatically detect and mitigate this activity appear limited.{{Citation needed}} Consequently, content creators and their moderation teams are often required to manually review and remove these comments on a per-video basis to maintain the quality and safety of their community interactions.{{Citation needed}}

===Crackdown against third-party front-ends===
Since the beginning of 2025, users have been reporting issues with 3rd-party frontends accessing the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 Feb 2025 |title=Youtube changed something, again! |url=https://nadeko.net/announcements/invidious-02-20/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250816014757/https://nadeko.net/announcements/invidious-02-20/ |archive-date=16 Aug 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025}}</ref> For FreeTube, there has been a heightened amount of people receiving [[wikipedia:HTTP_403|403 errors]] associated with IP blocks when attempting to view videos via this frontend.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gevaarlijk |date=Jan 31, 2025 |title=[Bug]: [BAD_HTTP_STATUS: 403] Potential causes: IP block or streaming URL deciphering failed #6701 |url=https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube/issues/6701 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/cPHsx |archive-date=21 Feb 2025 |access-date=Aug 30, 2025 |website=[[GitHub]]}}</ref>

===AI filtering without consent===
YouTube is testing an experiment on Shorts content that enhances a video's detail without the creator's consent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reisner |first=Alex |date=August 22, 2025 |title=YouTube’s Sneaky AI ‘Experiment’ |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/08/youtube-shorts-ai-upscaling/683946/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250822194955/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/08/youtube-shorts-ai-upscaling/683946/ |archive-date=22 Aug 2025 |access-date=August 26, 2025 |website=The Register}}</ref> The resulting output tends to look plastic. This change has been observed as early as June 27, 2025<ref>{{Cite web |author=Ulincsys |date=June 27, 2025 |title=YouTube Shorts are almost certainly being AI upscaled |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/1lllnse/youtube_shorts_are_almost_certainly_being_ai/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/01yrZ |archive-date=2025-08-07 |access-date=August 26, 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref> and affects creators who especially intend the video to be viewed in a certain way, such as the "VHS look".<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2025 |title=YouTube Shorts are becoming AI upscaled without consent from creators |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/1m5y7zu/youtube_shorts_are_becoming_ai_upscaled_without/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/i2Ej3 |archive-date=18 Aug 2025 |access-date=August 26, 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref> Rhett Shull, in his video, opines such a change "will inevitably erode viewers trust in my content [...] or any of the other creators on this platform that we all watch and we all follow" due to implications that the creator may be using AI, and "also erodes my trust in the platform."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shull |first=Rhett |date=2025-08-14 |title=YouTube Is Using AI to Alter Content (and not telling us) |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=86nhP8tvbLY |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=86nhP8tvbLY |archive-date=16 Aug 2025 |access-date=August 26, 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

Artist Sam Yang uploaded a video on the August 30th, 2025<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yang |first=Sam |date=30 Aug 2025 |title=Youtube is Using AI on Your Shorts Without Consent.. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjnQ-s7LW-g |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=tjnQ-s7LW-g |archive-date=26 Jan 2026 |website=Youtube}}</ref> following up on the issue using his own work for comparison, testing the claims that this is merely compression scaling, adding an artist's eye and commentary to the issue.

Users complained about a dangerous flickering that happens under some videos. Some forwarded this issue to YouTube scientist Anton Petrov, to which he replicated the issue and showed it under a video uploaded October 25, 2025, noting it happens on one of his devices, more specifically a mobile phone.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petrov |first=Anton |date=2025-10-25 |title=YouTube AI Filter Is Making My Videos Dangerous To Watch |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HY-nREvVu4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=2HY-nREvVu4 |archive-date=26 Oct 2025 |access-date=October 30, 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

===2025 channel terminations wave===
On November 2025, multiple YouTube channels, including Enderman, Scratchit Gaming, and 4096 are reportedly terminated in a massive banwave under false reasons, such as association with a Japanese-language channel "椛のスターレイル遊び" which translates roughly as "Momiji plays Honkai: Star Rail Adventures," a reference to a Japanese role-playing game. Some have blamed the banwave on the malfunctions of YouTube's AI-powered moderation system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Binder |first=Matt |date=2025-11-04 |title=Big YouTube channels are being banned. YouTubers are blaming AI. |url=https://mashable.com/article/big-youtube-channels-terminated-creators-blame-ai |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/IHzZU |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Mashable}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Relevant Rossmann Videos===
<references group="Rossmann Video" />

[[Category:YouTube]]

Yahoo! mandatory use of AI on all consumer services and content

2026-02-06T07:14:55Z

PeaceSeekers: archiving

{{StubNotice}}{{Ph-I-Int}}
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|Company=Yahoo
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==Background==
{{Ph-I-B}}

==[Incident]==
Yahoo! implemented a change to their Terms of Service stipulating their mandatory use of third-party AI on customer data, specifically including e-mail and account content. The only provision to decline is to close the customer account. However, it is not possible to have done so before the data was already shared due to the date of implementation versus notification of the change.{{Citation needed}}

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

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

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

==References==

# {{Cite web |author= |title=Yahoo Terms of Service |url=https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/otos/index.html |website=Yahoo Legal |date=2 Jan 2026 |access-date=6 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206071021/https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/otos/index.html |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}, ¶ 6 § (b).

{{Ph-I-C}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Yahoo! mandatory customer data sharing with third-party AI providers}}