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Google Chrome EULA Claims Ownership of Everything You Create on Chrome, From Blog Posts to Emails

Last edited by ukimalefu (2008-09-03 5:21 pm)

I dislike shameless self-promotion.  Sometimes non-MS websites do the same thing because they only test the site for IE, and assume everything else won't work right.  I've been to a few sites that specifically require FireFox in retaliation.  And Apple listed Safari as an update for users of iTunes on Windows.  Why can't the browser community stop this nonsense!!  Maybe that's what Google's trying to do..

AT wrote:

Google’s change here makes sense and it is also quite altruistic. Google could’ve just as easily used its own browser platform to help promote its own websites and services.

If you’ve only got IE7 installed on your machine Chrome will even default to Microsoft’s Live Search as the default search engine, asking you if you’d like to change it. The assumption is that your computer is setup the way you want it to be and Google isn’t going to force its services on you - competition is best done based on merit, not by manipulating the market.

Last edited by Mr. T (2008-09-03 10:33 pm)

Bat wrote:

Google Removes Big Brother Clause in Chrome's EULA

Google will change the EULA for its Chrome web browser just days after its release, due to a handful of users spotting a provision in its EULA that gives Google a license to most anything the browser is used to create.

The text in question, contained in Section 11 of the Chrome Terms of Service, allows users to retain copyright of their work, but grants Google a “perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content” created with Chrome.
...

“Sometimes, as in the case of Google Chrome, this means that the legal terms for a specific product may include terms that don't apply well to the use of that product,” she said Tuesday. “We are working quickly to remove language from Section 11 of the current Google Chrome terms of service.”

Even better, Ward says the change will be applied “retroactively” to “all users who have downloaded Google Chrome.”
...

While it’s considered unlikely that Chrome has the capability of making good on its Section 11 claims, some observers noted that the browser’s “Omnibox”, its multi-purpose address and search bar, stores a copy of anything typed inside of it – including backspaced or deleted text – for the purposes of its auto-complete function. Google says it plans on retaining about two percent of the data it receives through that feature – but notes that users can disable that functionality by turning off auto-complete.

Yay

I don't see anyplace in options to turn off auto-complete. Does that mean I have the "they own everything I search for or do" version?

I have been thinking about it and I just don't want to add an application developed by a data aggregater to my Mac. Just seems imprudent.
Hope someone forks a clean version.

NAG wrote:

Bat wrote:

Tomacorno wrote:

I don't see anyplace in options to turn off auto-complete. Does that mean I have the "they own everything I search for or do" version?

No, but they'll retain some of the data they get thereby.

Er, you do know that they reworded the EULA retroactively to take out that wording, right?

That's what I was pointing out; but the way it is now, they don't claim license to anything and everything, but they still retain data, the way they keep records of your searches now- to wit [EULA revision]

The text in question, contained in Section 11 of the Chrome Terms of Service, allows users to retain copyright of their work, but grants Google a “perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content” created with Chrome.
...

“Sometimes, as in the case of Google Chrome, this means that the legal terms for a specific product may include terms that don't apply well to the use of that product,” she said Tuesday. “We are working quickly to remove language from Section 11 of the current Google Chrome terms of service.”

I don't think I'll use Chrome, myself.

A little personal paranoia plus I don't see a need for it.

Chrome's lost marketshare already (lurkers listen to user ), and on data retention, they've gotten downright... less evil:

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION on Thursday praised web search powerhouse Google's recent decision to cut in half the time it keeps personally identifiable data on web searches.
...

The company announced Monday that it would soon start archiving users' unique Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for only nine months instead of 18 months under its previous policy.

Barrot also stated that he "attaches special significance to Google's newly introduced policy of informing its users about its privacy policies in a transparent, easily understood manner."

If you're interested, Google's privacy overview outlines its data retention and use policies. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/ … -retention

Shorter retention of user's data!

Bat wrote:

Shorter retention of user's data!

Actually, "users'" was correct.  When there is a plural, the posessive apostrophe is placed after the 's,' and there is no second 's.'

right back at 'ya. 

Last edited by TheConfuzed1 (2008-09-13 3:04 pm)

TheConfuzed1 wrote:

Bat wrote:

Shorter retention of user's data!

Actually, "users'" was correct.  When there is a plural, the posessive apostrophe is placed after the 's,' and there is no second 's.'

right back at 'ya. 

*Ahem* user, as in post 15 this thread. Singular; j/k.

Never correct a grammar Nazi.

Bat wrote:

Google sets an ambitious mid-2009 release date

Mac and Linux users anxious to run Google’s Chrome browser now have a hard deadline for when that will be possible: the middle of 2009.

Chrome Gets Deadline for Mac, Linux

I think I will have lost interest in Chrome by then. No matter; in the meantime, I've had a look at the Windows version via VMWare. If first impressions are lasting ones, the "revolutionary" UI doesn't thrill me. I'll stick to Firefox.

I've been using chrome on the pc for about 2 months now. I am pleased with the mac version. The speed is what amazes me. You can open twenty new tabs instantly. In firefox it'll lag for a minute.