In 2009, before most people had even touched a Kindle, Amazon made a decision that should have been a wake-up call. They removed a book—not just from their store, but from every single Kindle device. The irony? The book was 1984 by George Orwell. The reason? A third party had uploaded an unauthorized copy. Legally, Amazon wasn’t in the wrong. But their response was chilling: they reached into personal devices and deleted a book people had paid for.
Fast forward to February 26, 2025. Amazon quietly shut down the ability for Kindle users to back up their purchases to a PC. Now, if you buy an ebook from Amazon, you can only read it on an Amazon-controlled device or app—both loaded with ads, both entirely under Amazon’s control.
Is that frustrating? Sure. But more than that, it’s terrifying.
We are living in an era where free speech is under siege. The U.S. government is actively trying to erase trans people from history, banning books, criminalizing healthcare, and emboldening bigots—some of whom call themselves allies (see: “LGB without the T”).
Now imagine this: The books currently vanishing from libraries in red states? They don’t just disappear from schools—they vanish from your Kindle too. Not because of a law, but because Amazon, a company entangled in government contracts and corporate lobbying, chooses to remove them.
Queer literature, civil rights histories, radical political thought—all of it could become inaccessible with the flick of a switch. The First Amendment protects against government censorship, but it does not protect us from corporations making censorship decisions for profit or political favor.
Where to Buy DRM-Free Ebooks
If you want to own your books—truly own them—skip Amazon and buy from sellers that provide full, unencrypted EPUB files:
📖 Smashwords (smashwords.com) – Huge selection of indie books, including many queer titles.
📖 Kobo (kobo.com) – While they have DRM-protected options, they also sell DRM-free EPUBs, clearly labeled.
📖 Google Play Books (play.google.com/books) – Many books here are sold as standard EPUB files without DRM.
📖 Itch.io (itch.io) – Primarily for indie games, but also an excellent platform for self-published books, comics, and zines.
📖 Libro.fm (libro.fm) – Not for ebooks, but a great DRM-free alternative for audiobooks, supporting indie bookstores.
📖 Direct from Authors & Publishers – Many authors sell DRM-free books directly on their websites. If you love a writer’s work, check their site first!
The digital world is turning into a battleground for our rights. Let’s make sure we don’t hand over our weapons to the very people willing to erase us.
Own your books. Own your stories. And keep the voices that matter alive.
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