Patent ID: 8484089

Claim:
A computer-implemented method performed by a server hosting a web service for sharing a digital copy of media with a borrower, wherein the digital copy is stored in association with an account of an owner of the digital copy of the media in a media storage database coupled to the server, the method comprising: receiving a request to borrow the digital copy from the borrower; verifying that the digital copy was purchased by the owner through an ecommerce store component of the web service and has not been downloaded to a personal computer by the owner; if the verifying step determines that the digital copy was not purchased by the owner through the ecommerce store component or that the digital copy has been downloaded to the personal computer, denying the request to borrow the digital copy; and if the verifying step determines that the digital copy was purchased by the owner through the ecommerce store component and has not been downloaded to the personal computer, copying the digital copy from the account of the owner into an account of the borrower thereby enabling access to the digital copy by the borrower through the web service, and removing the digital copy from the account of the owner thereby prohibiting access to the digital copy by the owner.