Speaking of spying, Adobe is sniffing around your computer if you use their eBook DRM package

[thewayne]

Not only is Adobe sending usage information on what you're reading back to their HQ, they also seem to be scanning your entire eBook library and reporting on that.

Not only that, but they're sending it in clear text: no encryption.

This has tremendous implications on libraries that have clear policies, if not laws, that this information is not to be shared. If Adobe is gathering it, they could be in some deep legal doodoo.

http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/10/06/adobe-spying-users-collecting-data-ebook-libraries/

Comments

[silveradept]

There are a lot of libraries that are quite unhappy about this. If it weren't likely illegal to show how it's done, a procedure of how to stop it or disable that DRM would be warranted.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Libraries can't dance as nimbly due to licensing, but there are arguments that stripping the DRM is legal for backups for individuals. I know it's more nuanced than that, but that's my opinion.

Another option would be to port block programs talking back to Adobe, but then you could run in to a real mess with things like Creative Cloud trying to talk back to the mothership to find out if they're authorized to run.

[silveradept]

Yeah. And libraries have yet to develop the infrastructure needed to host their own properly owned collections of electronic material, so it's not like we can give Adobe the finger and run things ourselves, either.