[ale] google docs

[william at fragakis.com (William Fragakis)]

The birth date request is most likely to conform to the "Children's
Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998" or COPPA which forbids collecting
information on anyone under 13

http://www.ftc.gov/ogc/coppa1.htm

Almost any web site where you can "create an account" either requires
your birth date or an assurance you are 13 or older.

wf
On Mon, 2009-12-21 at 16:24 -0500, drifter wrote:
> My son tried to talk me into creating an account on Google Docs.
> 
> So I started down the path and my first stumble was Google's need for my 
> birth date.  There can be no legitimate need for that data.
> Then I started reading the Terms Of Service.
> 
> Buried within were these two paragraphs:
> 
> 11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content 
> which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By 
> submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, 
> irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive licence to 
> reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly 
> display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or 
> through, the Services. This licence is for the sole purpose of enabling 
> Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked 
> for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
> 
>     11.2 You agree that this licence includes a right for Google to make 
> such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals 
> with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated 
> services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those 
> services.
> 
> (You'd think they would know how to spell 'license.')
> 
> I won't be using this, ah, "service."  It is a license to steal, for 
> financial gain.
> 
> Sean
> 
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