OT: Microsoft wants to own you

[Diwakar Ranganathan <nero10574@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

from http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/18002.html

All your data (and biz plans) are belong to Microsoft
By: Andrew Orlowski in San Francisco

With Microsoft's HailStorm .NET initiative hinging on
the company's very own PassPort service, you'd think
Redmond would be bending over backwards to stress the
confidentially of user information. 

Well, if that's the case, it hasn't started yet. 

The current Passport Terms of Use agreement not only
fails to guarantee confidentially, but actually gives
Microsoft and its business partners the right to own
your information, and do pretty much what they want
with it. That encompasses all your Hotmail and MSN
Messenger communications today. 

As the Terms state: 

"By posting messages, uploading files, inputting data,
submitting any feedback or suggestions, or engaging in
any other form of communication 
with or through the Passport Web Site ... you are
granting Microsoft and its affiliated companies
permission to: 

1. Use, modify, copy, distribute, transmit, publicly
display, publicly perform, reproduce, publish,
sublicense, create derivative works from, transfer, or
sell any such communication. 

2. Sublicense to third parties the unrestricted right
to exercise any of the foregoing rights granted with
respect to the communication. 

3. Publish your name in connection with any such
communication." 

And it doesn't stop there. Are you emailing a contact
about a hot idea or business plan of your own? Hand
that over, too: 

The foregoing grants shall include the right to
exploit any proprietary rights in such communication,
including but not limited to rights under copyright,
trademark, service mark or patent laws under any
relevant jurisdiction. No compensation will be paid
with respect to Microsoft's use of the materials
contained within such communication. 

After the eFront debacle, we're baffled why anyone
would want to trust confidential communications to any
of the big IM services, let alone MSN Messenger. 

Apple originally launched its iDisk service with a
similar landgrab, but was quickly forced to retreat. 

As reader Ken points out, 'All Your Data Belong To
Us'. He's not kidding. ® 

Related link:
http://www.passport.com/Consumer/TermsOfUse.asp


=====
GNU/Linux, for technical and ethical reasons.

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