An article on InfoWorld reports on the concerns that have been raised by clauses that suggest that anybody who puts content on Google’s shared document service, Google Docs, grants Google the rights to reproduce and share that content. Infoworld says:
Google is in damage control mode over a clause in the user agreements for its Google Docs and Spreadsheets applications that implies an inordinate degree of power over the content that runs over its services.
The clause reads: “By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through Google services which are intended to be available to the members of the public, you grant Google a worldwide, nonexclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, adapt, modify, publish and distribute such content on Google services for the purpose of displaying, distributing and promoting Google services.”
OK, ok. There’s a bit of trouble making going on here – and we’d guess that Google didn’t really spend much time reworking their legal for documents – but still it highlights the concern we have for data on the web we think is private.
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I shared this post with Phi Dinh (www.phidinhski.co.uk) and on his behalf, am posting his comment:
Wrong.
Whoever wrote this article pulled the quote out of context.
The clause directly before it reads:
“Google claims no ownership or control over any Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through Google services. You or a third party licensor, as appropriate, retain all patent, trademark and copyright to any Content you submit, post or display on or through Google services and you are responsible for protecting those rights, as appropriate.”
Therefore the content author still retains ownership and responsibility.
The quote in question:
“By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or
through Google services which are intended to be available to the members of the public, you grant Google a worldwide, nonexclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, adapt, modify, publish and distribute such content on Google services for the purpose of displaying, distributing and promoting Google services.”"
Notice that it says “intended to be available to the members of the public”
There is an option (which by default is disabled) to share a particular document and allow access by everyone. I assume that the above clause only applies when this option is enabled, as the document becomes “available to the members of the public”.
It basically gives Google the right to index the document on its search pages, link and cross-reference relevant information, derive some semantic meaning etc… Exactly what you would want if you were to set a document as public.
October 4th, 2007 at 9:34 am