Do you ever read the EULA (End-User License Agreement) before you download any software? If you are like me then the answer is probably no. Well I suggest we all change our bad habits, especially us bloggers, if we don’t want to pay for it in the neck. I am referring to Google Chrome which I raved about in my post on WassupBlog, that is until I found out the following. Part of the EULA stated that,
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights that you already hold in Content that you submit, post or display on or through the Services. 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 that you submit, post or display on or through the Services. This licence is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
And that is not all there is more.
11.2 You agree that this license 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.
11.3 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 license shall permit Google to take these actions.
11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.
Do you see what that little sneak was trying to do. Those bastards were trying to obtain all the copyright to our material. Now I don’t know about you but that is total BULLSHIT!
Anyway it seems that the ensuing furor got them to tone the EULA down so that it now simply reads;
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services.
You can read a bit more about this farce at PCMAG.com and at veritableLive which was the blog that first alerted me to what was going on.
Thanks for the link back. I love the title of this post!!!
Beau71s last blog post..Google Chrome Users Beware
Thanks, every now and again I come up with a good title and as to the link back, you are quite welcome.
Yup, I actually knew about this, as I read the EULA before downloading it. You missed the part where they also get to track your surfing and searching so they can continue to enhance their services. That’s why I only downloaded to test, then got rid of it.
Actually, Mitch I took that part for granted, it is Google we are dealing with after all, so I expected nothing less. I’ve still got it but won’t be using it to do any posts.
I have read somewhere else in the blogosphere that Google have said it is their genreal terms that applies to a whole range of their products and they are looking to get it removed.
I think there has been such a fuss made of it that they will have to remove it now else no one will use it.
That is just Google covering their ass, and you will notice at the bottom of the post that they have already removed it. Thanks for commenting JBO
I never download anything that comes out until I’ve read what everyone else has to say about it. The more I read about the new Google browser, the less likely I am to use it.
Thanks honey. Great and very informative post.
Christine Senters last blog post..Writing the Cinquain
No worries Christine, you know that I will pull out all the plugs in order to get your approval.
And that is why I’m always falling for your BS
Christine Senters last blog post..Writing the Cinquain
Which is why I keep coming up with it. pretty soon I will be the BS King.
Does that mean we’ll really have to call you Sire?
“Yes, sire. You are the BS king”
Christine Senters last blog post..Writing the Cinquain
Hey, at least you don’t have to kneel when you say it and that is King with a capital K :lol_tb:
I like many others never bother to read the agreements before I download software. Luckily, I first heard about Chrome when browsing Digital Point forum and someone posted up about the dodgy agreement so I decided to give it a wide berth for the time being.
Proxys last blog post..schoolworksurfing.info
I did read it, though, because I thought how strange it was to have an EULA before downloading software. We usually don’t see it until we’re getting ready to load a program.
Yeah, it certainly doesn’t pay not to be aware of what you are signing up for, that is for sure.
Thanks for pointing this out, but I highly doubt Google would do anything with our data besides serving Google Ads relevant to the content we post or search. Just like they do with Gmail. Maybe they’ll start doing it in the next update?
QuickPWNs last blog post..Download QuickPWN RC3
Whatever they have in mind I truly believe that their sole purpose is to line their own pockets.