Your digital download may or may not work

The BPI and Sharkey's UKMusic claim they wants to develop legal music downloads, and they love a bit of campaigning for changes in the law.

Here's a cause they could actually usefully get behind: at the moment, if you buy a digital download, you've got no rights if it doesn't work. ConsumerFocus - about to be part of the Liberal Democrat Tory shuttering of useful and valuable public services - thinks that isn't right:

Philip Cullum, deputy chief executive of Consumer Focus, said: "It's crazy to have a situation where someone who buys music on a CD has the legal right to a refund if it doesn't work, but someone who downloads the same music does not. Consumer laws on buying digital goods, whether it is streaming films, or downloading music and software, need updating to reflect the reality of 21st-century life.

"The UK should be striving to be the best place in the world for digital consumers. Giving consumers better protection when they shop online and making it clear exactly what they are getting when they buy digital products will also help boost this growing market."

It's an obvious idea, a simple change, and hard to see any objections. It's also achievable, and would improve the experience for people buying stuff.

But, hey, let's throw away cash trying to catch pirates instead, eh?

[via @beltain35]