After deauthorizing a computer in iTunes, why is content still playable?

0

I have two computers. My primary computer is a MacBook Pro and secondary is a Mac Mini.

I authorized the Mac Mini some time ago and downloaded several songs from iCloud to play them. This worked fine.

I deauthorized the Mac Mini this morning and received a message long the lines of "You have successfully deauthorized this computer". However, I can still play all the songs in iTunes.

  1. Why is this the case?
  2. How can I deauthorize and remove the content from the secondary computer?

magnus

Posted 2014-07-16T01:14:34.607

Reputation: 111

Answers

1

The iTunes Music Store used Apple FairPlay DRM at launch in 2003, but started phasing it out in 2007 with the introduction of "iTunes Plus" higher-quality, DRM-free tunes for $1.29. At some point since then, with no fanfare, iTunes Plus became the standard, and all songs, even at the $0.69, $0.99, and of course $1.29 price points all became higher quality and DRM-free. So it's quite possible that all the songs in your library, at least all the ones you spot-checked, are DRM-free.

You already de-authorized the computer. To remove the purchased music, delete those songs like you'd delete anything.

Spiff

Posted 2014-07-16T01:14:34.607

Reputation: 84 656

So effectively there is no guarantee that deauthorizing a computer will "remotely delete" the songs from it? Doesn't this contradict what Apple says about de-authorization? "When you deauthorize a computer, you’re removing the ability to play content that you bought from iTunes" (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6283).

– magnus – 2014-07-16T01:31:05.527

I just noted that the article says "You won’t lose your content, and nothing will be deleted". The content was not deleted but was playable. – magnus – 2014-07-16T01:35:19.127

The wording of that support article is out of date now that DRM is a thing of the past (on music at least). It should say that you'll lose the ability to play any older DRM-encumbered tracks you had bought between 2003 and sometime shortly after 2007. – Spiff – 2014-07-16T03:13:19.143

I think you have the mistaken assumption that DRM enforcement is 100% checked 100% of the time. That would be a very fragile scheme that wouldn't be able to support playback on devices that weren't continuously connected to the Internet. DRM security checks are done periodically, and de-authorization is generally not going to be instantaneous -- though the next check will fail. – David Schwartz – 2014-07-16T03:54:37.150

Asked: 2014-07-16T01:14:34.607

Viewed: 945 times

Active: 2014-07-16T01:25:16.937