Comment by rkagerer

3 days ago

All I wanted to do was play a sample of one randomly selected track.

Clicking the play button doesn't do that, it brings up a somewhat eccentric 2-line license agreement.

Clicking the checkmark to agree then prompts for your email address and to create an account.

These are dark UI patterns, and it's a shame a website purporting to be about generously sharing free content uses them. A button should do what it advertises.

Here's a snippet from the full license text if anyone's curious:

Moby does not permit his Tracks to be used to advertise right-wing politics or causes, or to be used to promote meat, dairy, or other animal products. People may disagree about when these lines have been crossed—which is why Moby retains the right to terminate the license to any Track completely at his sole and absolute discretion, at any time.

Also note you're contracting with a corporation, and the agreement includes a clause about you indemnifying them.

7 comments

rkagerer

Reply
nialse  3 days ago

Just a quick note: pressing the ‘Browse Anonymously’ button located just above the email field will allow you to do exactly that.

graemep  3 days ago

Not just eccentric, it is vague and arbitrary. "Right wing" is very vague, and "animal products" is not much better.

That snippet implicitly acknowledges this and Moby the person gets to arbitrate between you and Moby Collaboration, Inc.

Also this:

"Mobygratis retains the right in its sole and absolute discretion to determine whether any use of a Track (or Collaboration or Master Recording derived therefrom) is commercial."

perrygeo  4 hours ago

> somewhat eccentric 2-line license agreement

That's an understatement. Restricting content based on political activism I can sympathize, if not agree with. Restriction based on war and geopolitics, ok.

But based on promoting veganism? Come on dude, pick your battles. Any business that deals in any way with animal products (virtually every restaurant, grocery store, hospital, school, entertainment venue, etc) could get accused of promoting cruelty and violating the license; this is a nonstarter.

00deadbeef  3 days ago

I found it simple enough. There’s a “browse anonymously” button after the eccentric terms.