AOL: We’re Not Spying on AIM Users
March 14th, 2005 | by Mike G |http://www.chron.com/cs/C…ch/blog/3082956
Via the Houston Chronicle’s TechBlog, AOL says that regardless of the recent flare up caused by the posting of parts TOS throughout the blogosphere, AOL Instant Messenger’s terms of service do not imply that the company has the right to use private IM communications, and the section quoted applies only to posts in public forums — a common provision in most online publishers’ terms of service. AOL spokesman Andrew Weinstein states, “AOL does not read person-to-person communications.” He also says AIM messages are never stored on AOL’s hard drives.
However, when reading the TOS, it is hard to overlook declarations as:
“by posting Content on an AIM Product, you grant AOL, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents and licensees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to reproduce, display, perform, distribute, adapt and promote this Content in any medium.”
Or the line that is simply impossible to misinterpret:
“You waive any right to privacy.”
If Weinstein is being honest here, and these statements really do pertain to postings in the forum area, then the wording must be changed. Oh, and while you are editing, get rid of that nasty “right to privacy” business.
