Column: Here’s why you can’t ‘own’ your ebooks

Few are aware of the specifics of using ebooks: they can't be resold, often not even loaned out - if bought through Amazon, they can solely be read through the company's devices. Consumers don't really own the ebook, they just paid to read it. As a result of economic developments within the online environment dedicated to literature, people have had the opportunity to discover a truth of fundamental importance: ebooks and other digital artifacts have a shorter life span than their physical counterparts.

Entrepreneur Brewster Kahle becomes the subject of the article, virtually going up against publishing houses and pillars of the industry for his opinions expressed on the "Internet Archive" website, the invaluable historical archive of old Web pages and other digital artifacts founded by himself in 1996.