How can DRM create a difficult user experience for e-book readers?

Digital rights management (DRM) can create a difficult user experience for e-book readers by locking content into closed, proprietary systems. Because these systems use file-encryption and access-control measures, e-books are often tied to a specific customer’s identity and the software controlled by the retailer, such as Amazon Kindle or Apple Books.1

This approach leads to several practical challenges for consumers:

• Incompatibility: Proprietary DRM means that e-book files may not be readable on all devices or software, even if those devices are technically capable of opening standard formats like PDF or EPUB.1
• Limited Ownership: Users often license rather than own their e-books, which can lead to situations where retailers remotely delete content from a user's device, as seen in the 2009 incident where Amazon removed copies of George Orwell’s novels from customers' Kindles.2
• Clumsy Experience: From a business perspective, the use of DRM is frequently criticized for creating a cumbersome experience that restricts how users interact with their digital library.1

While proponents argue that DRM is necessary to protect intellectual property from piracy, it remains a contentious issue that many believe unfairly restricts consumer rights.12