All you AIM users out there beware that nothing you send or receive is private. AOL has a new agreement with the following statement:

In addition, by posting Content on an AIM Product, you grant AOL, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents and licensees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to reproduce, display, perform, distribute, adapt and promote this Content in any medium. You waive any right to privacy.

So goodbye privacy... and for me, goodbye AIM. I don\'t like being told that I have no privacy rights.

yer goobye AIM

DITTO

The Internet "not just AIM" Is Very Unsecure.
Messages and Emails Can be Easily Intercepted.

Say, Think, Believe What You Want.

But The Second You Connect Your Computer To The Internet.

Privacy Is Out The Window.

Goes Back To Your ISP.

Yes and no on that. When I sign up for certain services, I expect a certain amount of privacy. I absolutely agree that your information could be illegally intercepted and exploited. I believe this is what you are trying to point out. Even an encrypted connection cannot be 100% guarenteed.

However, when I signup for a communication service, be it telephone, IM or whatever, I look for at least a little bit of privacy in the statement. I don't care that someone might read it, but I do care that my logs could be given to an advertiser who is allowed to do with it as they please.

My first thought goes as this:

- I am chatting with someone who want to send me a subscription payment or something via postal mail
- I IM them my mailing address
- If I am using AOL, this address is now allowed to be freely given to any sponsor of AOL.
- this sponsor has the right to take this address and any other information (like my IP address and username, etc) and thow it up on a television commercial.

Not that this would happen, but it is allowed under this agreement. If some other chat client did such a thing, I would have legal grounds for sueing them. This, in most cases, is enough of a deterant to stop such illegal activity.

This doesn't even look into the possiblilty of the agreement leaning into the information provided for setting up the AIM account. I haven't checked, but it's possible that all your personal account information for setting up the AIM account is also in jeopardy.

All I want is a deterant that makes the supplier think "hey, maybe I shouldn't do this" as opposed to "hey, lets sell this and make more money. screw the user.".

I Hear Ya Man,,,

"Screw the User"

Sounds Like A Great Ad Campaigne.

That Will Be The Motto For ALL Internet,Software Companies In The Future.

.. and all I feel I can do about is sit here and shake my head.

I figure,,, If You Want To Keep It Private.

"DON'T" Send It Accross The Internet.

I Once Heard Microsofts "Lead Security Engineer" Say he doesnt have A Computer at Home That Is Connected To The Internet.

Why? You Ask.

He Said "Cause Nothing Is Secure, And There Is NO Privacy On The Internet.

Impossible to retract for all eternity, publically or privatly, present, edited subject matter, or proportions of, in any manner, by any means nessasary, Internationally, popularized by advertising, without limitation...

It isn't a privacy matter for me, it's a "moral" issue...

Indeed,

i absolutly agree with you pMYOB!

Supersword