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Bruce Willis May Fight Apple Over Ownership of His iTunes Collection

Valery Hache, AFP

Die Hard actor and occasional musician Bruce Willis may be angling for a fight with Apple Computers over who owns his iTunes music collection when he dies.

According to an article in the Daily Mail, the star of such films as Sin City and Pulp Fiction wants to leave his iTunes music collection to his daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallaluh when he passes away. The problem with that is according to those pesky terms and conditions nobody reads, you actually don't buy songs from iTunes, you licence them -- so you don't really own the music you're paying for on iTunes, and therefore can't leave it to anyone else in your will when you die.

Considering Apple's success rate in legal battles, including a recent $1 billion smackdown against Samsung, Willis is facing an uphill battle if he actually decides to take on the makers of iPods, iPhones and iMacs.

One option Willis may consider is trying to have his collection be put in the hands of a family trust -- think of it as a trust fund not for investments, but for the Willis family Rolling Stones collection. Another option would be to join ongoing legal battles taking place in five separate US states right now which involve downloaders trying to secure more rights to do what they want with the music they've purchased.

Watch Bruce Willis' "Respect Yourself" Video

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Josh S

Actually, a guy named George Hotelling established the protections of what's called The Doctrine of First Sale for iTunes products about a decade ago. You can't sell the licenses for the songs, but you can sell your iTunes account, which includes the licenses.

September 04 2012 at 2:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sonoran

I don't use Itunes. Too many hoops to jump through and I found their selection of offerings slim for my taste. I've had better luck using Amazon.

September 04 2012 at 1:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to sonoran's comment
legacykwst

You don't own Amazon's either. In fact, you own nothing that you've downloaded... not computer programs, not music, not books. What you've done is license them... basically ... leased them for you own private use. This is why... when Amazon settled with major publishers over copyright issues, many people saw books they'd bought and downloaded vanish from their e-readers and computers. Their license to use those matierials had been terminated. This is also behind some discussions that all media have a termination date. Therefore, you license something, but only for 1 year or 2 years, then it self-distructs... and if you want it, you have to license it again. That has proved to be a problem with academic material because some such books, etc allow people to underline and make notes (just like a real text book)... and when the license terminated... so did the person's personal notes.

September 04 2012 at 2:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mandoist

Apple better not bend over...Willis is a self-proclaimed "back door man."

September 04 2012 at 1:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
j7drb

I can see people trying to do something positive in their lives. This may, after all, be his 'real' legacy. I think Bruce Willis may be more concerned about his health in real life. Can't see Bruce, on the set, writing from his foxhole, 'I hereby bequeath my ipods to....' Some people express themselves differently in life altering circumstances.

September 04 2012 at 1:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
otter

Apples. Oranges. Kumquats. Avacados. Luckly, I'm a couple of generations removed from all this nonsense and will not be loosing any sleep over it.
What sillyness!

September 04 2012 at 12:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to otter's comment
fish61324

"Luckly"..... seems like you're a couple of generations removed from a good education as well.

September 04 2012 at 1:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to fish61324's comment
mbears126

Considering how people of the current generation type and speak, a small typo is nothing to criticize someone over.

September 04 2012 at 2:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down
glers

That's what you get for buying Apple

September 04 2012 at 12:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
xve298

Congress is too beholden to the corporations to allow this. This will be the death knell of innovation. Apple is the center of the "license" but can't own thinking. It is a shame that Apple is so stingy along with the RIAA who bullies people. We have a gutless congress.

September 04 2012 at 12:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
itemsold

I think it is patently absurd that I can buy CDs and leave them to my sons (as if they'd want anything I listen to) but I cannot leave my itunes "library" to them. Of course, the question arises: Why even bother making it known that you're doing so in the first place unless you want a little publicity because you're a public figure? As I've said for quite a while now, Apple is quickly becoming circa 1990s Microsoft. But I will say this as well...most people who complain about itunes and how those who run Apple are communists or dictators or whatever ridiculous little label they want to malign (Apple) with are the same oh so righteous folks who illegally download all their music off peer to peer sites because they think they're "owed" the work of musicians free.

September 04 2012 at 12:17 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
junebugv69

just burn a copy onto a cd,fool!

September 04 2012 at 12:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Njeanous

The Dumbest thing Demi Moore ever did was cutting loose this talented, decent, cool-ass man. He still has the swagger of a red blooded American Bad ass.

September 04 2012 at 12:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Njeanous's comment
Mandoist

Funny you mention 'ass'...Willis is a self-proclaimed "back door man."

September 04 2012 at 1:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply