In its new Terms of Service, AOL now claims to own your instant messages. Okay, not exactly, but read:
Although you or the owner of the Content retain ownership of all right, title and interest in Content that you post to any AIM Product, AOL owns all right, title and interest in any compilation, collective work or other derivative work created by AOL using or incorporating this Content. 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. You waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Content or to be compensated for any such uses.
Grrrr.
So if I use iChat, but have AIM account, do they have rights to that content?
Update 17 March 2004: They've changed the terms.
[via Saffo and Jason]
[To the tune of Barbie, "Free," from the album "Barbie Princess & The Pauper".]
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