At least they could explain this one away with "it's just a copyright issue, we're not censoring anything". Here it's plain and open censorship, initiated by the publisher.
We don't have a word for it yet, given that classical censorship developed in the era of printed books, when such activities were technologically impossible. But I would say that it falls under penumbra of censorship because of the intent. And the intent is to remove certain speech from average reader's view without the reader's consent.
Censorship does not have to be total in order to be censorship. Even in authoritarian states, small oppositional media outlets may be tolerated, so that foreign accusations of media control can be rebuked: "Hey, look at Radio X, we are definitely not censoring them." But their reach is carefully kept limited.
"Computer Fraud and Abuse" seems like it would cover it? :)
Here in Australia, maybe "Unauthorised access with intent" too. Would need real lawyers/court to figure it out though.
Don’t want changing books? Pirate your ebook or buy a paper book.
(But having once reviewed a swath of inclusiveness edits via side by side comparisons first hand out of intellectual curiosity about what is going on, it was kinda a nothingburger was my takeaway.)
Doesn't mean you can sell license subscriptions or whatnot, but what you sell has to match up with what the buyer thinks they're purchasing.
Odd, when I look at a Kindle book on Amazon it shows a button to "Buy now".
> You also licensed the ebook provider to remove or alter the content as they see fit.
It is good that at least the EU has started to recognize the concept of informed consent. Clicking agree on a multi-page contract when that is the only way to access content that you (or someone else) have already paid for is not it.
> Don’t want changing books? Pirate your ebook or buy a paper book.
Those are the immediately available options, but that doesn't mean we have to just accept digital "purchases" being whatever the seller wants them to be while still trying to lure in people by making it seem they are buying something.