Thu, 17 Apr 2008

Picasa web albums: surrender everything to Google

"By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive licence to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services."

In other words, Google can use whatever you post basically for whatever they like - and you can't get out of this ever again.

"You agree that this licence includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.

"You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this licence shall permit Google to take these actions."

Google can take your stuff and give it to others so they can use it, and Google can even make changes to your pictures or whatever you have posted. Once you post something, you lose any control over it.

These passages (from section 11, "Content licence from you", of the "Google Terms of Service") are the reason why I'm not using Google's Picasa web albums.

Posted on 17 Apr 2008 at 19:53 in /technology. -- Permalink