Saturday, March 12, 2005

Reason to dump AIM

This might seems as not so photography related but I'll get to the point. AOL has changed Terms of Service to their popular AIM chat services. It now contains following (on their ToS page scroll down to "Content You Post"):

In addition, by posting Content on an AIM Product, you grant AOL, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents and licensees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to reproduce, display, perform, distribute, adapt and promote this Content in any medium. You waive any right to privacy. You waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Content or to be compensated for any such uses.


So. If you're a photographer (or just happy snapper) and send your picture to a friend, faimily member or anyone over AIM, AOL reserves the right to use it anywhere they want. Without letting you know, paying you, asking for your concent. Same goes for texts, poems, jokes and everything else in text format. Songs, videoclips etc etc. If I was AIM user I'd be switching to some alternative now.

Disclaimer: I work for a competing IM company.

1 comment:

Kaido said...

This is wicked. I wonder, how many similar contracts have I 'Agreed to'.