The case for owning your media, in the headlines
Streaming was sold as cheaper, simpler and forever. In 2026 it's none of those things: prices keep climbing, ads have crept into tiers you already pay for, sharing is being shut down, and films you bought are being deleted. Here's the news — and why a disc you've ripped is the only copy no one can take away.
PlayStation is deleting 551 films people already paid for
From 1 September 2026 Sony removes 551 purchased StudioCanal films — Terminator 2, Paddington, Pan's Labyrinth — from UK & EU libraries as a licence lapses. No refunds: their terms say a "purchase" isn't ownership.
Read on VGC →"You don't actually own any digital content you can't download DRM-free"
It's happened before — Sony pulled StudioCanal titles from German and Austrian accounts back in 2022. The pattern is clear: a digital "library" is access on loan, revocable the moment a contract changes.
Read on The A.V. Club →Streaming now costs ~26% more than five years ago
Netflix has raised prices twice in under two years (Premium now $26.99). Prime, HBO Max and Disney+ have all followed. Five ad-free services that cost ~$62 in 2021 are ~$78 today — and that's with ads creeping back in.
Read on Tom's Guide →Price, not content, is now the #1 reason people cancel
Households are slashing subscriptions as price sensitivity peaks — the average person now juggles 5+ services at ~$69/month. The "cheaper than cable" promise has quietly evaporated.
Read the Attest research →Ad-free is now the "premium upgrade" you pay extra for
Ad-supported tiers have become the default entry point. What used to be standard — no ads, best quality — has been repositioned as a costly upgrade, while password-sharing crackdowns stop you splitting the bill.
Read on Señal News →PlayStation is once again deleting purchased movies
Coverage of the latest purge raises the same question every time: what does "buy" even mean on a digital store? A ripped disc on your own server is the answer that never expires.
Read on Cord Cutters News →Headlines link out to the original reporting. Dates reflect when each story was published or takes effect.
A disc you've ripped can't be deleted, re-priced, or filled with ads
Buy the disc once, rip it once, and it's yours — full 4K quality, no subscription, no licence to lapse. That's the whole point.