# Huh. So Amazon just turned me into a music pirate. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 10, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753 "2013-01-10T16:15:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/1 "2013-01-10T16:15:10Z")
I’m not sure Amazon has thought [this](http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1773251) out completely. They’re now automatically putting “auto-ripped” images of any CD you’ve ever bought into your Amazon cloud. Which is thoughtful of them, I guess. Except that some non-trivial number of Amazon CDs I’ve bought have been gifts to other people. Which means that I don’t own (and really, have never owned) the CDs that Amazon is putting into my cloud. So, net effect is as if I yanked off the shrink-wrap and ripped the CDs before sending them on their merry way. I know my reaction should be “hey! free stuff”, but I actually find it mildly annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/2 "2013-01-10T16:56:37Z")
I think all of the entities trying to ram cloud-based stuff down our throats, or, put another way, trying to drag our lives into their playground, are so bent on doing so that it’s the online equivalent of a gang war. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/3 "2013-01-10T17:30:15Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I’m not sure Amazon has thought [this](http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1773251) out completely. They’re now automatically putting “auto-ripped” images of any CD you’ve ever bought into your Amazon cloud. Which is thoughtful of them, I guess. Except that some non-trivial number of Amazon CDs I’ve bought have been gifts to other people. Which means that I don’t own (and really, have never owned) the CDs that Amazon is putting into my cloud. CDs that were part of an order where anything was marked as a gift are ineligible for AutoRip. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/4 "2013-01-10T17:39:37Z")
You prompted me to go check and yup, it imported a whole bunch of songs I did indeed purchase on cd… for other people. Too bad for me that these are not my taste in music, but they were on other people’s wish lists. Wild. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/5 "2013-01-10T18:00:51Z")
“RIAA v. [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com): The Final Deathmatch.” ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/6 "2013-01-10T21:27:35Z")
While technically illegal, anyone pissing in the RIAA’s ear has my support. Mostly because the RIAA isn’t looking out for anyone other than the RIAA and big studios. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/7 "2013-01-10T21:34:42Z")
So, you just go to your Amazon cloud player and the songs should be there? I havent bought a CD in maybe 5 years, perhaps that’s why there’s nothing unexpected in my cloud. Does anyone know how far back it goes? ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/8 "2013-01-10T21:40:45Z")
> [@Zjestika](#): > > So, you just go to your Amazon cloud player and the songs should be there? > > I havent bought a CD in maybe 5 years, perhaps that’s why there’s nothing unexpected in my cloud. Does anyone know how far back it goes? Yeah, I’ve bought several CDs from Amazon years ago and there was nothing new in my cloud. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/9 "2013-01-10T21:43:50Z")
My cloud player was updated today with around 30 albums worth of stuff that wasn’t there before. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/10 "2013-01-10T21:53:05Z")
> [@Zjestika](#): > > So, you just go to your Amazon cloud player and the songs should be there? > > I havent bought a CD in maybe 5 years, perhaps that’s why there’s nothing unexpected in my cloud. Does anyone know how far back it goes? It goes back to (We’re going to party like it’s) 1999. Or so I’ve read. > [@Projammer](#): > > While technically illegal, anyone pissing in the RIAA’s ear has my support. > > Mostly because the RIAA isn’t looking out for anyone other than the RIAA and big studios. I share you’re feelings about the RIAA’s earholes but presumably someone at Amazon mentioned this to their legal department before pushing the button. If Amazon bought and paid for an MP3 album and then gave that album to you, the artists are getting paid for that and the RIAA would get its cut, right? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/11 "2013-01-10T21:56:14Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Mostly because the RIAA isn’t looking out for anyone other than the RIAA and big studios. And Amazon is looking out for…? ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/12 "2013-01-10T21:59:31Z")
Oh, I just got an email from Amazon, and now my cloud is updated with 5 CDs. I bought Dru Hill? I do not recall ever participating in something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/13 "2013-01-10T22:28:53Z")
\ Hey! You! Get off of my Cloud! ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/14 "2013-01-10T22:55:12Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > And Amazon is looking out for…? Amazon of course. But at least they’re providing a useful service. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/15 "2013-01-10T23:00:29Z")
_hipster mode on_ Apparently my music tastes are too obscure be to ripped. _/off_ But seriously, Amazon is great for getting out-of-print used CDs, or weird imports, that are otherwise not available for download anywhere. I’m not surprised that my Japanese bootleg of an 80’s Throwing Muses performance isn’t on their rip list. _Drinks micro-brew bock in smug satisfaction. No, you wouldn’t have heard of it, it’s only brewed locally by…_ ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/16 "2013-01-11T00:54:41Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > CDs that were part of an order where anything was marked as a gift are ineligible for AutoRip. Huh?? You mean, like, if you checked the “I want Amazon to gift wrap this for me” box? Because other than that, no one ever tells Amazon if something is going to be a gift when they buy it. (I think this is true even if you have it sent to a different address than your (usual) one).) ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/17 "2013-01-11T02:51:24Z")
Ha! So I got 10 albums in the cloud, 3 of which were gifts that I am utterly uninterested in. Other than those there was a Mitch Hedburg album (Strategic Grill Locations), pretty much my all-time fav album (In the Aeroplane Over the Sea for what it’s worth) and 5 albums from my embarassing indie phase. Doves, Raindeer Section, Elbow? I listened to a bit and don’t remember anything. Thanks for the bizarre memories, Amazon! Still not gonna use your cloud! ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/18 "2013-01-11T03:40:21Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > \ Hey! You! Get off of my Cloud! I didn’t get that one, but I did get _Aftermath_ and _Between the Buttons_. 😉 And about 40 more albums. But not nearly all I’ve bought since 1999. The sidebar on the same screen was even giving me recommendations based on other CDs I’d bought which haven’t appeared in cloud versions. I wonder if they’re going to keep on licensing digital copies of more things, and I’ll see more of the back catalog, or if this is it. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/19 "2013-01-11T04:10:54Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Huh?? You mean, like, if you checked the “I want Amazon to gift wrap this for me” box? Because other than that, no one ever tells Amazon if something is going to be a gift when they buy it. (I think this is true even if you have it sent to a different address than your (usual) one).) _shrug_[That’s what it says.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200997290) I imagine whatever licensing agreement they have has a clause allowing for this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753/20 "2013-01-11T10:37:46Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > _shrug_[That’s what it says.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200997290) > I imagine whatever licensing agreement they have has a clause allowing for this sort of thing. Interesting. I don’t remember any way to mark something as a gift (and I can’t think of why you would want to, or why Amazon would want you to) unless you wanted Amazon to gift-wrap it for you – but correct me if I’m wrong about this. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-so-amazon-just-turned-me-into-a-music-pirate/646753.md?page=2)