Et Tu, Kindle...?

Oh, why is he posting this here, would you ask?

Well, Constant Reader, there are reasons:

It’s time to start backing up your purchased Kindle ebooks if you haven’t already. It looks like Amazon intends to remove the Download & Transfer via USB option from their website for Kindle ebooks as of February 26th.

Over on reddit, some people are saying they’ve been greeted by a new prompt when trying to download Kindle ebooks from Amazon’s website that says the following:

Starting February 26, 2025, the “Download & Transfer via USB” option will no longer be available. You can still send Kindle books to your Wi-Fi enabled devices by selecting the “Deliver or Remove from Device” option.

So far all the reports seem to be for US accounts, but I’m still not seeing that message when I try to download ebooks from the Digital Content page at Amazon, but it didn’t stop me from downloading several dozen of my purchased ebooks to have on my computer just in case.

@ebookreader

Oh, and how would that affect YOU?

Books have always been unchanging snapshots directly into an author's mind. They are instruments of record. But when companies can change their content on the fly, well, that can change everything.

When people were able to keep their own copies of books, they had that instrument of record. But when books are changed on the fly, and we can't see the previous versions anymore, it's possible to rewrite history.

What if a president decides to sign an executive order to change the name of a body of water? Or what if a president decides that all books referencing his predecessor should be rewritten to describe that predecessor in wildly unflattering terms? Or what if an executive order is given requiring all existing digital books to edit out any mention of, say, slavery or the internment camps of World War II?

@zdnet

Oh, yeah. Rewriting -and whitewashing- history is going to be the next weapon the techbros (I'm looking at you, Bezos) and the Oligarchs will try. This would also work with Banned Books, btw. See where I'm going here? It’ll be possible to alter, rewrite or just plain make disappear ebooks. I think I will be buying any new ebooks from the author directly. Or just buying… books. Because reading is going to become an act of rebellion and critical thinking a taboo. 

So, what are you waiting for? I have downloaded all my ebooks to my computer. Because fuck me if I'm gonna let the techbro overlords fuck up my reading.

XOXO

P.S. @PCMag has a very handy guide tho help you do your thing ...