My Photo
Blog powered by TypePad

« Scott McCloud's awesome webcomic/propaganda for Google Chrome | Main | Digital media syllabus »

OMGWTF? Google Chrome's EULA grants Google the perpetual right to your work

Ok, here's something not mentioned in the awesome Google Chrome comic book:

IF YOU USE THE BROWSER, GOOGLE OWNS YOUR WORK.

Specifically, according to the browser's current Terms of Service:

You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which 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 license 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, anything you blog, submit, or even write in a web-based email account using the Chrome browser instantly becomes freely available to Google to use for the rest of time. The EULA goes on to say that this will only be used to "display, distribute and promote" the browser, but, er, let's say you upload a song you just wrote to your own web site. Technically, Google can now use the song in a TV commercial without writing you a check.

I'm sure there'll be a blogosphere shitstorm about this (kind of surprised it's not on boingboing yet), and Google will have to rewrite and retrench. But, still, you expect more from a company whose motto is "Don't be evil."

More informed discussion here.

UPDATE: Unsurprisingly, Google has retrenched. Collective intelligence and advocacy in action.

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834226d1c53ef00e554fb42f48834

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference OMGWTF? Google Chrome's EULA grants Google the perpetual right to your work:

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until the author has approved them.

Twitter Updates

    follow me on Twitter