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

[droewyn.livejournal.com]

Ugh, thanks for the heads-up. I had to check to make sure I didn't have ADE installed (I find Calibre's reader a bit too clunky to use if I just want to read an ebook on my PC so I have a standalone epub reader for that purpose).

Would you have a problem with me plugging my DRM removal instructions here? They focus on Kindle/Nook files, but also work for removing Adobe's DRM without any additional steps.

[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]

I have no problem with that. For me, I avoid buying ebooks and those that I do get with DRM I strip ASAP. Most of the ebooks that I have come from Humble Bundle and they're always free of DRM.

I really liked the Stanza reader, but Amazon bought them out and it stopped updating. Currently I mainly use iBooks on my iPad and iPhone with occasionally using the Nook reader program.

[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.