10-31-2007, 04:54 PM

Got a question for you.

User outside the US gets access to itunes store in US and pays for the content that does not yet appear in the itunes store in their local country (may be commercially available to buy and/or free to view in that country already) - are laws being broken?

If this is something you do not wish to be discussed, please delete and forgive me without neg rep'in me. Its just a question I was asked today and I really couldnt give an answer for where I was comfortable with in its completeness.

10-31-2007, 05:25 PM

I highly doubt there are any laws being broken, but it is probably against Apple's Terms of Use (I.E. don't do it, or we'll ban you from buying from us again... but I can't see that happening). It's a stipulation from the record companies more than anything; I'm sure Apple doesn't give two hoots who's using the service, and even less where they live.

10-31-2007, 05:33 PM

Thats where I was kinda going with my thoughts. If you pay for the content then apple make more money and so do the companies supplying. Would that company make more money through that person buying in their own country -I do not know.

Looking at the music side of the argument where maybe there isn't the same issues of availability on the different itunes store - the music costs a lot less in the US than it does in Europe - is that not losing apple money?

Anyway - I agree that it would be something unlikely to concern apple to the degree its going to start banning people for this but I thought it just posed an interesting topic which I would like to see other peoples views and to see if there were any laws being broken.

10-31-2007, 05:33 PM

I don't think so. You're requesting to purchase an item and therefore offering a contract. If Apple agrees to that contract by accepting payment and sending you the goods (the download) then no laws have been broken.

In fact, the only way the law could have been broken is if you'd requested the goods, Apple declined, but you circumnavigated iTunes and downloaded without paying.

10-31-2007, 05:41 PM

You can't buy from the United States store if you have an account with an other country's store. I use the US store and I was trying to put a single from the UK store right now. After signing in it tells me I can only use my account on the US store.

You can probably find a way to obtain an US store account but you will most likely need a US address and all that stuff.

10-31-2007, 05:42 PM

As far as I am aware, you have to live in the US or hold a Credit Card with a US address to purchase from the US itunes. The suggestion made to me today was that this could be circumnavigated so apple believes you fulfill that criteria.

I understand that the EU are looking at apples pricing in Europe and the cost difference in comparison to the US but I still cant see a black and white answer to this. Maybe because there isnt one. Thanks for the input so far.

10-31-2007, 06:02 PM

They wouldn't go to the effort of blocking you from purchasing from other countries' stores if there wasn't a legitimate reason why they should. I say it is illegal.

10-31-2007, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by mynameis

They wouldn't go to the effort of blocking you from purchasing from other countries' stores if there wasn't a legitimate reason why they should. I say it is illegal.

The irony is, the EU is looking at whether blocking you from buying from other countries stores is illegal.

10-31-2007, 06:27 PM

My friend orders Asian movies on DVD from the internet from different countries. He was able to purchase the Chinese version of Hero long before the US release of the film. Would that be considered wrong?

10-31-2007, 06:51 PM

and play.com have a US store too which you can buy dvds from before they are sometime out here.