[LINK] Australians breaking the rules to get cheaper iTunes

[Kim Holburn]

On 2011/Jan/20, at 11:10 AM, Ivan Trundle wrote:

> To buy from iTunes US, you have to have a US credit card and a US billing address. With these credentials, it doesn't matter where you end up listening to the music. Or you can use an American Express card, from what I've heard.
> 
> However, the US iTunes rules (thanks to record and TV companies, apparently) are strict: 
> 
> "The Service is available to you only in the United States, its territories, and possessions. You agree not to use or attempt to use the Service from outside these locations. Apple may use technologies to verify your compliance."
> 
> (http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/ww/)

Territories and possessions?  Does that include US defence force bases?  Embassies and Consulates?  Countries invaded by the US?  If you use a VPN with a US server then technically you are using it from the US.

Does this mean you can't play iTunes music you've bought while you're travelling in a foreign country?   Can they switch it off while you're overseas?

> Incidentally, the iTunes Terms are viewable on an iPhone, but have plenty of time to spare - it spans 57 pages.
> 
> So pretty much anyone who can verify that they reside in the US can buy material, but depending upon your interpretation, US travellers cannot use the service once they leave the shores of their mother country.
> 
> There's always Amazon...

Sorry but as an Australian publisher I now really dislike Amazon and try and have as little as possible to do with them.  (Probably a lost cause though).

Apart from that, trying to buy stuff from Amazon when you're not in the US is such a pain.  You get just about right through the online buying process and it says: "sorry we don't ship to your crappy foreign country, would you like to buy something else?"

-- 
Kim Holburn
The Pinchgut Press
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