[Lash]

Interesting tidbit I read on Perez today

Boycott Facebook! Here's Why
Filed under: Icky Icky Poo > Tech Talk

logo_facebook__opt1.jpg

We're so glad we've never uploaded any of our stuff onto Facebook!

You Facebook users are SCREWED.

Did you know that everything you've loaded up into your profile (personal pictures, etc.) belongs to Facebook, even after you've closed your account?

That's what it says in the Terms of Service you agreed to when you opened your account, apparently.

The Consumerist recently uncovered this disturbing info and it's causing quite a stir.

So, what does this mean?

Basically, Facebook can do whatever the hell they want with YOUR STUFF.

And, they can do so WITHOUT your permission.

For example, they can license your personal pictures out to companies, make a shizzle of money and don't have to give you a dime.

Sounds really, really ######ty and sooo shady!!!!![/b]

From the actual article

Facebook: All Your Stuff is Ours, Even if You Quit
February 16, 2009 - 8:24 am PDT - by Stan Schroeder 90 Comments

facebook-logo-spaced.pngThe Consumerist has noticed a seemingly slight but very important (and disturbing) change in Facebook’s terms of service, regarding user-generated content.

In short, all of the content you’ve ever uploaded on Facebook can be used, modified or even sublicensed by Facebook in every possible way - even if you quit the service.

The TOS says the following:

You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (B) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (B) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof.

It also used to contain another bit that is now missing.

You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content.

This is also reinforced by the “Termination” section:

The following sections will survive any termination of your use of the Facebook Service: Prohibited Conduct, User Content, Your Privacy Practices, Gift Credits, Ownership; Proprietary Rights, Licenses, Submissions, User Disputes; Complaints, Indemnity, General Disclaimers, Limitation on Liability, Termination and Changes to the Facebook Service, Arbitration, Governing Law; Venue and Jurisdiction and Other.

Sure, most users don’t really care (or think they don’t care) about all this, but the idea that you now cannot stop Facebook from using your content should you ever want to is frightening to say the least.
Is Facebook Connect the reason?

Commenter OrtensiaCadmium on Consumerist finds a probable reason for this change in Facebook TOS.

“That’s fairly common language in terms for various sites such as Facebook. While it gives Facebook some far-reaching and scary possibilities, the basic idea is that things you upload may end up residing on servers outside of Facebook’s direct control. These broad rights make it so that you can’t sue Facebook for some cached content on some other server…”

Yes, with Facebook Connect in place, it’s likely that Facebook simply must do this in order to avoid possible lawsuits over content that isn’t even stored by them anymore. However, the same commenter rightfully notices that “…yes, it also means they can sell your photos or use them in advertising with no recompense to you.”
It’s not just your stuff, it’s everyone’s stuff

The possible implications of this TOS change go beyond these concerns. Sure, you can choose not to use Facebook at all, but that doesn’t mean a thing. Someone can still take your photo, slap it on Facebook, and now neither you nor the author of the photo can stop Facebook from using the photo in whichever way they please.

Looking at it globally, millions of people are uploading bits of information on everyone and everything, to a huge online database, and by doing so they’re automatically giving away the rights to use or modify this information to a private corporation. And not only that; they now also waiver the right to ever take it back from it.

Facebook should take a long, deep look into how it treats its users. Until now, users had options with regards to how the data they generated on Facebook was used. Now, they have no options whatsoever, rather than quit the service altogether. It’s a major difference; I’m not going to take it lightly, and neither should you.[/b]

[♥Ashley♥]

I read that today on perez too, it is absolutely rediculous!

[BambolinaItaliana]

it is but, my pics don't have anything that is worth selling so really don't care!

[Lash]

Not technically-- do you want your pictures of you or your kids to be posted up on an advertisement without your consent? I've seen it happen to multiple people in news stories now where pictures are taken from facebook or myspace by an advertising company and sometimes used for something not so flattering, "from fat to thin" and you are the fat picture, or not very nice statements about your children being used on billboards or magazines

[Mars]

Holy crap!! I'm not uploading anything else on there. Hopefully I don't have anything up that's of interest.

[Angelaosaurus-rex]

Crap... Is this myspace too or just face book?

[♥Ashley♥]

Just facebook Angela!

[*Mrs.J.2011*]

Oh fantastic! Looks like I wont be putting anything new on facebook!

[thepinkleprechaun]

Great. I guess I'll start putting watermarks on all my pics then! Not that any of them are good enough to be used in advertisements.

[HopeWishWait]

Definitely never putting anything on Facebook again, I can't even believe that's legal!

[Mars]

Great. I guess I'll start putting watermarks on all my pics then! Not that any of them are good enough to be used in advertisements.[/b]

Good idea!!

[Miracle]

Wow, that's scary.

[.Brandi.]

How the hell do they get away with this crap????

[Angelaosaurus-rex]

I'm really glad I don't have one now!! Thats so messed up!

[IamMom]

I don't do any of these sites and this is just one of the many reasons why!

Poo on that.

Although for me, that is the least of my worries. There is a website chronicalling my entire first year of drunken antics otherwise known as Freshman year of college. Can't contact the friend that was obsessed enough to take that many pics of me either. That will bite me in the a** one day, I am sure of it!

It really doesn't bother me.....

Greaaaaaaaattttttt... So can companies search and somehow get your info without you knowing before hiring you under this part?

[A*LOT*OF*HOPE]

I'm not to concerned!! I don't know why Im not, but Im just not!! Thanks for posting that though!!

[Quiet-storm]

I think that they are changing back to the old privacy policy.
http://blog.facebook.com/