more on AOL responds Re: AOL/AIM eavesdrops, changes terms of service

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 20:24:13 -0500
To: <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: AOL responds Re: [IP] AOL/AIM eavesdrops, changes terms of
service

Dave,

AOL said this evening that it will revise its terms of service:
http://news.com.com/AOL+clarifies+IM+privacy+guarantee/2100-1030_3-5616543.h
tml

The AIM terms of service have been in place since at least February 2004
and no user seems to have read them carefully enough to object, at least
publicly. Perhaps the lesson here is that even the lawyers who draft
such policies don't read them that carefully either.

Excerpt:
That unfortunate wording was intended to apply to an AIM feature called
"Rate-a-Buddy," spokesman Andrew Weinstein said. Like the classic
HotOrNot.com site, Rate-a-Buddy permits AIM users to post photographs
publicly so others can rate them on how "cute" and "interesting" they
seem to be.
The Rate-a-Buddy language was "wrapped into" the AIM terms of service,
and that "inartfully" worded phrase has been deleted from a new version
that will be made public Tuesday, Weinstein said. "It's going to make it
very clear that this section applies to public areas."
AIM's public areas include a few dozen public chat rooms, which cover
topics from celebrity gossip to NASCAR chat. "We're making the language
clearer so users understand it," Weinstein said. "At a minimum, there
was significant confusion."

-Declan

------ End of Forwarded Message


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