Comments on: Facebook Privacy: Talk About Overreaction!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:09:16 +0000

I don’t think they really knew that they did something wrong but they probably didn’t realize what a problem this was going to cause. They should have checked all of the possible problems they would encounter with the new TOS. I mean this is a big difference in TOS compared to other social networking sites. Especially in terms of using someone’s content even after they have terminated their membership with the site. But hopefully now they won’t try and slip something else in there thinking that no one reads their TOS.

By: coffee

coffee — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:53:23 +0000

the fact that Facebook change their TOS back so quickly is an indication that they knew they were wrong in the first place

By: Drew

Drew — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:27:50 +0000

And this children, is the reason why Facebook is a POS!

By: Kevin Mason

Kevin Mason — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:35:20 +0000

I guess facebook has backed down from their previous statements because the TOS has been changed back.

“Terms of Use Update

Over the past few days, we have received a lot of feedback about the new terms we posted two weeks ago. Because of this response, we have decided to return to our previous Terms of Use while we resolve the issues that people have raised. For more information, visit the Facebook Blog.

If you want to share your thoughts on what should be in the new terms, check out our group Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.”

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:11:09 +0000

This is a very interesting topic and Facebook has some wierd wording when it comes to their ToS.

Facebook saying that they can use your the stuff you post for commerical use is what worries me the most, but honestly I kind of assume that when I post something on Facebook. MySpace has a much better wording but almost the same kind of thing. MySpace states that the contect your post is yours but you are giving them the right to add, delete, modify and use at their discretion. But MySpace states that they will only use it on the MySpace site and if you have something marked as private or once you delete you account they will no longer use the contect whether it is archived or not. You Tube funny enough doesn’t have much to say about the intellecual property you post on their website.

By: Sharron Field

Sharron Field — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:27:00 +0000

I think Facebook will end up being sued and losing unless they change the wording of their TOS. – That’s all I’m saying on the matter for now.

By: Credit Debt Settlement

Credit Debt Settlement — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:46:07 +0000

Really it is nice post and thanks for sharing it.

By: Blaine Cook

Blaine Cook — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:15:58 +0000

There’s a big difference between privacy (i.e., choosing when and where to share things) and legally binding ownership.

Facebook is over-stepping boundaries when they say that they have a perpetual right to re-distribute your content, even after you terminate your Facebook account.

Take for example a photographer; they post some photos, one of which turns out to be really great and marketable. My reading of the Facebook ToS is that they reserve the right to sell your photo so long as it’s “related to Facebook”, which could mean anything, given the Facebook Platform. Because it’s easier for potential buyers to do business with Facebook, and you have offered your content as “paid in full”, Facebook has absolutely no obligation to respect any outside copyright restrictions (or permissions).

I fully agree that in general we are moving towards openness, and that people should be careful what they share online. However, my server host doesn’t own the content that I post using their servers, and people that I email don’t own the copyright to emails that I send. Facebook taking perpetual ownership is a dangerous precedent; if they were to require content to be licensed as creative commons, it would be a different and positive step, imho.

My initial comments are here: http://romeda.org/blog/2009/02/facebook-is-closed-for-anything.html