Adobe Digital Editions
Last updated: 23 October 2014
Adobe® Digital Editions software lets you view, manage, download and purchase digital content, primarily eBooks, with or without digital rights management (DRM). DRM is a technology used by eBook providers to manage the copying, printing and sharing of eBooks.
The Adobe Privacy Policy describes the general privacy practices of most of Adobe’s websites and applications including Adobe Digital Editions software. More privacy-related information for Adobe Digital Editions is provided below.
The following information may be collected when an eBook with DRM is opened in Adobe Digital Editions software. If an eBook hasn't got any DRM associated with it, then no information is collected.
- User GUID: The User GUID is a unique value assigned in place of your User ID and is used to authenticate you.
- Device GUID: The Device GUID is a unique value generated to identify your device. It is used to ensure that the eBook may be viewed on your device and that the number of devices permitted by the licence is not exceeded.
- Certified App ID: This ID represents the application that is being used to view the eBook, in this case Adobe Digital Editions. It is necessary to ensure that only a certified application may display an eBook. This helps to minimise piracy and theft of eBooks.
- Device IP (Internet Protocol): This identifies the country you are located in when you purchase an eBook. It is used by eBook providers for the enablement of localised pricing models. Only the country identifier of the Device IP is stored.
- Duration for Which the Book was Read: This information may be collected to facilitate limited or metered pricing models entered into between eBook providers, such as publishers and distributors. These models are based on how long a reader has read an eBook. For example, you may borrow an eBook for a period of 30 days. While some publishers and distributors may charge libraries and resellers for 30 days from the date of the download, others may follow a metered pricing model and charge them for the actual time you read the eBook.
- Percentage of the eBook Read: The percentage of the eBook read may be collected to allow eBook providers such as publishers to implement subscription pricing models where they charge based on the percentage of the eBook read.
- Information provided by eBook providers relating to the eBook you have purchased: The following information is provided by the eBook provider to enable the delivery of the eBook to your device:
- Date of eBook purchase/download
- Distributor ID and Adobe Content Server Operator URL
- Metadata of the eBook, such as title, author, language, publisher list price, ISBN number
The data is sent periodically to Adobe via a secure transmission using HTTPS.
Adobe uses the information collected about the eBook you have opened in Adobe Digital Editions software to ensure that it is being viewed in accordance with the type of DRM licence that accompanies that eBook. The type of licence is determined by the eBook provider. For more information on how each piece of data is used, please see above.
Adobe does not share any personally identifiable information. Adobe may share anonymous aggregated information with eBook providers to enable billing under the applicable pricing model.
You may find out more information by reading Adobe’s white paper.
