Comments on: Facebook Terms of Service Switcheroo?

By: More On Facebook’s TOS | SEO Backlinking - SEO and Online Reputation Management Blog

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:28:39 +0000

[...] 27th, 2009 | WebProNews | admin After what can only be termed a kerfuffle last week over changes to its Terms of Service, Facebook has decided to take some pretty drastic steps to address the [...]

By: Is it time to close my Facebook account? :: Christopher Ross

Is it time to close my Facebook account? :: Christopher Ross — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:36:59 +0000

[...] ps, this morning Frank Reed posted a piece on the Marketing Pilgrim about Facebook’s TOS … Facebook Terms of Service Switcheroo? [...]

By: coffee buzz

coffee buzz — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:05:50 +0000

It makes no sense that Facebook would risk messing up a good thing by edging in on people's intellectual property. They had people's trust and then they go and risk losing it; not smart. coffee buzz's last blog post..Starbucks Instant Coffee -- "Via"

By: Facebook New Rules Backfire | Ask Six Daily News

Facebook New Rules Backfire | Ask Six Daily News — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:03:13 +0000

[...] “Facebook Terms of Service Switcharoo” “Facebook’s New Terms of Service..” “Facebook Backtracks on Use [...]

By: Tom H. C. Anderson

Tom H. C. Anderson — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:33:12 +0000

Agree with the reaction to the new TOS, but felt the response by Zuckenberg was good. I posted about it on my blog yesterday, along with some tips for Facebook and other companies who may be involved in managing CGM. We've done a lot of work in this area, and these companies need to learn to trust their user community a bit more, if they do they can even be leveraged to keep moderation costs down etc. Tom H. C. Anderson Managing Partner Anderson Analytics, LLC Tom H. C. Anderson's last blog post..Even New Media Companies Should Listen to their Evangelists/Apostles First

By: Uproar over Facebook’s new TOS and the Power of Social Media | Divine Virtual Assistance

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:07:04 +0000

[...] get a better idea on how the TOS has changed go here and here. Better yet, read the TOS yourself – especially if you are a Facebook member. You can read Mark [...]

By: FaceBook’s TOC Rolled Back « This Week on the Internet

FaceBook’s TOC Rolled Back « This Week on the Internet — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:28:58 +0000

[...] the past few weeks FaceBook has been under a lot of fire over their controversial change in their Terms of Service. FaceBook said in their terms that they can more or less do whatever they [...]

By: phil brown/musician

phil brown/musician — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:52:17 +0000

well….
if that’s true i am done with facebook
they do not arbritarily super-cede rights to ANY my copyrights -intellectual property nor aritistic renderings because they say so
they do not –
they do not –
they do not -

By: phil brown/musician

phil brown/musician — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:51:47 +0000

well….
if that’s true i am done with facebook
facebooks TOS do not/will not arbritarily super-cede rights to ANY of my copyrights – intellectual property nor aritistic renderings because they say so
they do not –
they do not –
they do not -

By: links for 2009-02-16 | Seth Goldstein Online

links for 2009-02-16 | Seth Goldstein Online — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:01:19 +0000

[...] Facebook Terms of Service Switcheroo? As I was sitting down to a nice comfortable night at home I was alerted via Twitter about a change in theterms-of-service Terms of Service (TOS) at Facebook that could be pretty significant. Since I am not totally aware of the protocol for referencing tweets as sources, I will simply give you the whole deal here so the right people can get their Twitter props: [...]

By: Barry Schnitt

Barry Schnitt — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:48:36 +0000

Mark Zuckerberg has posted to the Facebook blog to try to clarify the issue: http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=54434097130

By: Shirley - Velvet Blues

Shirley - Velvet Blues — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:04:34 +0000

Well, I don't know what this really means for the average Facebook user. But I am glad that I don't put much on my page and I also never post anything that I wouldn't want anyone to see. Shirley - Velvet Blues's last blog post..New Domain Name? Use GoDaddy Discount Codes

By: The Struggle to Monetize Social Networks « Advibe

The Struggle to Monetize Social Networks « Advibe — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:48:02 +0000

[...] Facebook TOS Switcheroo [...]

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:01:42 +0000

I’ve talked with some people this morning who were not aware of the terms of service before this was mentioned again. They’re getting of as user made content does not necessarily belong to all user sites. They want to know does my child’s drawing, my writing (via re-pasted blog posts), my music, etc. now belong to Facebook? Too much of a risk for them to continue.

By: Neal Wiser

Neal Wiser — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:52:04 +0000

Thanks for citing me in your post, I appreciate it!

Please remember that Facebook is providing a free service. Therefore, in exchange for hosting your data, I can understand they should have Some minimal rights to using it as long as it’s still posted, but Ownership? They have absolutely no moral right to Ownership. But is moral right enough to protect consumers? Unfortunately, it’s not. So if you agreed to the TOS, you’re out of luck.

The reality is that practically no one reads TOS (except for those fabulous peeps who DO read it and warn us all). Everyone knows this, but Facebook and lots of other companies, are permitted not only to operate this way, but are also allowed to change the TOS without notification. Why? Again; because you agreed to it. It’s buried in the TOS.

I understand that with millions of users, Facebook needs to protect itself, but their TOS is clearly not user friendly. Indeed, it’s designed to obfuscate the terms so that no one but a lawyer can understand what’s really being agreed to and allow FB to make changes without user recourse.

Facebook should post a “translation” to their TOS written in easy to understand language. Additionally they should notify their users to changes and give them a set timeframe (2 weeks?) to accept or decline the changes. If they decline, they should at least be offered other types of (perhaps) limited accounts.

Of course, nothing will change until Facebook is challenged in court by very shrewd lawyers who can convince the court that Facebook is not operating the public’s interest (or something like that).

btw; if you liked this comment, please follow me on Twitter at: twitter.com/nealwiser

Neal Wiser’s last blog post..Neal Wiser Recognized as an Enlightening Blogger

By: Jake

Jake — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:21:28 +0000

I think people are nuts to be posting their birthdays and other personal information on FB in the first place, if I wanted to steal someone’s identity I would start with Facebook..Anyway, I think now we can all know where the value in FB, as a company, is now…Every `group’ that is joined, e.g., is a direct marketing list FB has – to do with whatever it likes – forever. I could understand FB had rights to the content and could subject us all to some pretty aggressive gorilla advertizing WHILE we’re using their service; but after someone has terminated the service? Why do they get something for nothing?

By: Paul Dunay

Paul Dunay — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:14:23 +0000

@ Anne & everyone

Facebook has had this as a core policy for a while – the new TOS is irrelevant

I blogged about this in November 2007

see here – http://buzzmarketingfortech.blogspot.com/2007/11/get-facebook-strategy .html

* Sure, throwing sheep and poking people is fun, but why not add value to the conversation by posting quality content? (Small side note – if you read the fine print, Facebook owns all content you create on the Facebook site)

Paul Dunay’s last blog post..World Wide Rave – Works!

By: Dan London

Dan London — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:04:51 +0000

I really can't see anyone (aside from the marketing geeks) doing anything different on FB due to the change in terms. The most active users couldn't care less about the TOC's. Dan London's last blog post..Create Your Own Book Deal

By: Anne Kathrine Petteroe

Anne Kathrine Petteroe — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:03:42 +0000

I have created a group on Facebook against the new TOS.
Please feel free to join us..
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77069107432

By: Paul Dunay

Paul Dunay — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:32:56 +0000

Actually I was under the impression that this was always the case - that facebook owned all content on its site including yours Makes a good case for being sure you like the content you have up there and you set your privacy settings to ensure noone posts content about you without your consent Paul Dunay's last blog post..World Wide Rave – Works!