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The 5 Most Laughable Terms of Service On the Net

Posted by timothy on from the until-you-cry dept.

nicholas.m.carlson writes "According to these five terms of service and EULA, Google owns any content you create using its Chrome browser and can filter your Gmail messages if it likes. Facebook says it can sell its users' uploaded images as stock photography. YouTube can keep footage of your kids forever, even after you've deleted it from the site. And AOL can ban you for using vulgar language on AIM. Funny, right? That's why Valleywag calls them 'The 5 most laughable terms of service on the Net.'" Reader dlaudel writes, regarding the previously-mentioned Google EULA for Chrome, "According to Ars Technica, Google's EULA for Chrome was just copy-and-pasted from its EULA for other services, a practice that is apparently common at Google."

3 of 399 comments (clear)

  1. They're supposedly changing the Chrome EULA by Dude+McDude · · Score: 5, Informative
    http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-chrome-license-agreement/

    In order to keep things simple for our users, we try to use the same set of legal terms (our Universal Terms of Service) for many of our products. Sometimes, as in the case of Google Chrome, this means that the legal terms for a specific product may include terms that donâ(TM)t apply well to the use of that product. We are working quickly to remove language from Section 11 of the current Google Chrome terms of service. This change will apply retroactively to all users who have downloaded Google Chrome.

    Rebecca Ward, Senior Product Counsel for Google Chrome

  2. Re:laughable? by Man+Eating+Duck · · Score: 5, Informative

    The facebook one is blatantly taking a right that it doesn't have a legitimate reason to take.

    From their EULA:

    "By accessing or using our web site at www.facebook.com or the mobile version thereof (together the "Site") or by posting a Share Button on your site, you (the "User") signify that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms of Use" or "Agreement"), whether or not you are a registered member of Facebook."

    My emphasis.

    --
    Are you a grammar Nazi? I'm trying to improve my English; please correct my errors! :)
  3. Re:Verizon DSL by joemck · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's true of many porn and hentai message boards. Seems to be in the default TOS that comes with a lot of forum software.