government hooker

Did you know that if you purchase a video game and find that there is a glitch in the software (or decide that you just don't like the game!) that you cannot, according to Walmart and Best Buy store policy, return the game? Their reason upon inquiry is that it would be against federal copyright law to return the game for a refund or exchange for something different. So you better hope you're going to like that new game you get.

Some would read this and say, "well duh, why are you upset, you can't break the law?" Interesting story: Corey knows the law, especially in that area, and had never heard of this being the case. He did some research. He first searched the copyright laws himself. Finding no evidence of it being illegal to return an opened video game, he wrote a letter to John Boozman, the U.S. Senator from Arkansas (who better to ask than one of the people who helps make the laws!) asking for some insight on where to find it stated in the laws that this is a valid return policy. Senator Boozman's reply included a copy of an email consulting the Federal Copyright Office. That's right. The people who directly make the laws these retailers claim prevents them from taking opened media returns.

The Office's reply stated that the "law" Walmart and Best Buy keep quoting does not exist. Read it again: returning opened video games for a full refund is NOT against the law. And that is according to the FEDERAL COPYRIGHT OFFICE.

These retailers clearly need to change their reasoning for the no return policy from "it's the government's fault" to "we're really just assholes trying to make more money." Because it's not the government's fault. They really are just assholes.

-steps off soapbox-


"I can be good, if you just want to be bad"