Amazon has recently revised its purchasing terms for Kindle e-books in the U.S., clearly stating that customers receive a license for the content, not actual ownership. The new clause reads: “By placing your order, you’re purchasing a license to the content and agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.” While international customers still see the old wording, the message is consistently clear: You don’t own the content; you’re merely granted usage rights.
In a significant shift, Amazon will be phasing out its “Download & Transfer via USB” feature for Kindle devices starting February 26, 2025. This means users won’t be able to download Kindle books to their computers for manual transfer—instead, all content access will rely on Amazon’s cloud services. This move not only underscores the transient nature of digital ownership but also reiterates a fundamental truth: if it can be revoked, you don’t truly own it.
This phenomenon isn’t exclusive to Amazon; it reflects a broader issue in today’s digital world. Take, for example, music streaming services. Your playlists and favorite tracks depend on an internet connection. These services often limit the number of devices you can stream from and interrupt your music with ads unless you pay a subscription fee. Long gone are the days of physical records and CDs, which allowed you to listen, resell, or share your music freely.
So, what truly constitutes ownership? Traditionally, it’s been understood as possessing something outright. However, in our digital landscape, while we have access to content, it can be altered or withdrawn at any moment. Oxford defines ownership as “The exclusive right to use, possess, and dispose of property.” True ownership, then, requires exclusivity.
Consider other digital assets like money or personal identity. Online profiles and email handles are distinctly yours, uniquely protected by passwords. Yet, these accounts can be locked or deleted by platforms at any moment. Likewise, while you may have legal rights to the money in your bank account, banks can freeze accounts, and governments can seize funds. This lack of control challenges the notion of true ownership.
So, I pose the question again: What does it mean to truly own something? Exclusive possession and legal rights are not enough. True ownership means singular control and the ability to enforce it. In the physical world, this often involves coercion or force, like eviction notices or armed security. But in the digital realm, encryption is the tool that empowers true ownership without violence. Encrypted data cannot be accessed without your consent, regardless of external pressures.
Encryption doesn’t merely protect digital ownership; it revolutionizes power dynamics by eliminating violence from the equation, making it uniquely disruptive.
In digital systems, signing acts as proof of ownership. PGP allows you to sign emails and files, confirming their origin and integrity. On decentralized platforms like Nostr, your private key ties your posts and online identity to you, independent of any company’s control. Bitcoin is a prime example: controlling your private keys ensures that only you have access to your funds. No bank or government can seize them without your key. True ownership resides in the power to enforce it.
The Bitcoin mantra, “Not your keys, not your coins,” resonates deeply. This phrase highlights the risk of not holding your own keys. When you leave your Bitcoin on an exchange, the exchange controls the keys—not you. They can impose limits, freezes, or even lose your funds. Similarly, ETFs in brokerage and retirement accounts can be seized just like a bank account. True financial self-sovereignty lies in holding your keys, granting you full control over your assets.
The transition to a digital world offers unparalleled access but blurs the lines of ownership. Whether books, music, identity, or money, holding something digitally often creates an illusion of ownership. Corporations can revoke access, governments can capture funds, and platforms can erase digital identities—yet encryption changes this dynamic. Ownership becomes a matter of mathematics, not institutions or legislation. For genuine digital ownership, the principle is simple: control your keys, or someone else ultimately controls your assets.
This post is contributed by Will Jager. The views expressed are solely his and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
