Although the "Bruce Willis Suing Apple over iTune track ownership" turns out to be untrue, it has highlighted the fact that you do not own digital tracks you have bought. Musing about this on the way to work this morning I reckoned therefore that you are in fact renting the tracks, not buying them.
This being the case, I wondered where this left the whole 'piracy' and thus 'theft' rhetoric? How can you have stolen something when it is in fact not in your possession, i.e you have not taken ownership. Could I move that we introduce the lesser crime (logically following on from non-ownership) of borrowing without permission. Sanctions could then be either saying sorry and returning the track in an undamaged condition or duly paying the rent that is due!
Just wondering!
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