California
California law makes companies come clean on buying digital content
After Click to Cancel legislation for subscriptions, California has introduced another piece of consumer protection legislation for buying digital content.
It will force companies to tell you when you won’t actually own the content you think you’re buying – something which has occasionally been true for iTunes purchases …
The problem with ‘buying’ digital content
There have been numerous examples of consumers thinking they are buying digital content, which remains theirs for life, only to find it unceremoniously removed – sometimes years later.
For example, two class action lawsuits were filed against Apple back in 2021 for using the word “buy” for iTunes movies when these can, in rare circumstances, be later removed from your library.
Both lawsuits make the same complaint: that the iTunes store wording says that you can “buy” or “rent” movies, while the reality is that you can only license them – and that license can be later withdrawn.
There have been examples of people losing access to content purchased from iTunes, though these do appear to be edge cases. Similar complaints have been made about the fact that you don’t actually own e-books purchased from Amazon.
Apple continues to use a “Buy” button in the Apple TV app today.
A similar thing happened earlier this year when Ubisoft revoked access to the online-only racing game The Crew after people had bought it.
California law on digital content purchases
California has introduced AB 2426: Consumer protection: false advertising: digital goods. This says that companies aren’t allowed to use the words “buy” or “purchase” unless they clearly state exactly what is meant by this, and tell you if there is a risk that you might someday lose access.
Existing law makes a person who violates specified false advertising provisions liable for a civil penalty, as specified, and provides that a person who violates those false advertising provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill would, subject to specified exceptions, additionally prohibit a seller of a digital good from advertising or offering for sale a digital good, as defined, to a purchaser with the terms buy, purchase, or any other term which a reasonable person would understand to confer an unrestricted ownership interest in the digital good, or alongside an option for a time-limited rental, unless the seller receives at the time of each transaction an affirmative acknowledgment from the purchaser, or the seller provides to the consumer before executing each transaction a clear and conspicuous statement, as specified.
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California
Heavy rain, high tides cause flooding along stretch of Northern California
CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain and high tides believed to be the most severe in two decades caused flooding in parts of Northern California on Saturday, prompting road closures and rescues of residents trapped in their cars.
Roadways through a 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch from the Sausalito area to San Rafael were flooded after a downpour coincided with record-breaking “ King Tides,” Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins said.
No injuries were reported but authorities were called to assist when cars got stuck in floodwater as high as three and four feet (1.1 and 1.2 meters), he said.
“There is a lot of water in the roadways,” Dobbins said, adding the tides were reportedly the highest in more than two decades. “Along with heavy rains, it just created the perfect storm for flooding on the streets.”
Authorities in the communities near San Francisco asked residents to stay home wherever possible until waters recede. Some residents kayaked along what normally would be city streets. Others waded out in water that passed their knees.
A flood warning was in place for the San Francisco area until 2 p.m. Saturday and an advisory until 2 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in San Francisco.
King Tides occur when the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment and the moon is in its closest position to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational pull.
California
UPDATE: Crash at California/Dakota
10:06 PM: Police are arriving at the scene of a two-vehicle crash reported at California/Dakota, with at least two people hurt.
11:06 PM: Police have just reopened the street. We went to the scene after a report that one vehicle had ended up on the lawn of a church – First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – is on the southwest corner – but all we could see was one vehicle on the sidewalk. We’re following up with SFD regarding the people who were hurt.
California
Southern California’s wild weather is not over. Wind gusts of up to 65 mph predicted
Last week’s rain won’t be the end of Southern California’s wild weather as strong wind gusts are forecast through the area until Tuesday.
Gusts of up to 65 mph are expected in mountains and valleys throughout the region, with the National Weather Service warning that power outages were possible and that residents should keep an eye out for downed trees and power lines.
“Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” according to an alert issued by the National Weather Service.
The recent storms that drenched Southern California and soaked the soil could also “increase the likelihood of damage” caused by downed trees and power lines, the agency noted.
The National Weather Service issued the advisory Sunday, warning that the western Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains and the Interstate 5 and Highway 14 corridors could see strong winds starting Sunday evening, lasting until Monday afternoon.
Winds between 20 to 30 mph are expected in those areas until Sunday evening. Wind speeds are then predicted to pick up until Monday afternoon, with northeast winds of up to 40 mph and gusts of up to 65 mph.
A similar alert for strong gusts was issued by the weather service for the San Bernardino and Riverside County mountain and valley regions, as well as the Santa Ana Mountains, where strong winds could linger until Tuesday afternoon.
Northeast winds with speeds of up to 30 mph are expected to hit the area starting this evening, with gusts of up to 60 mph.
The high wind alerts come after the region was drenched for days, causing debris flows that washed through homes in Wrightwood. At least three people were killed in storm-related deaths, including a man in San Diego who was struck by a falling tree. In Boyle Heights, a rare tornado touched down on Christmas morning.
More rain is expected this week, including the possibility of rain on New Year’s Day.
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