Will google use Chrome to display ads above peoples websites?

C|net says: "Be sure to read Chrome's fine print" - which you should be doing all the time anyway. There are two things that stick out in the terms of service in Chrome.

This one, while not stating directly they will throw Google-ads around wherever they please, doesn't exactly exclude the idea. Traditionally, ads on the web are served by the page you are visiting not the browser that you use. This paragraph seems to indicate that it'll change in the near future.....

"Some of the services are supported by advertising revenue and may display advertisements and promotions. These advertisements may be targeted to the content of information stored on the services, queries made through the services or other information.
The manner, mode, and extent of advertising by Google on the services are subject to change without specific notice to you."

Then there's this - who owns what now? They're not saying that they will automagically gain the copyright of your stuff, but they are saying that they will have the right to display some of your content, in conjunction with promoting its services. Come again?

"By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give 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 which you submit, post or display on or through, the services. This license 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."

Hat tip to Claes Magnusson in my Jaiku-posse.

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purplesimon's picture

I doubt anyone will read them any closer than before, i.e., not at all.

But if Microsoft or Apple, etc, were doing this more people would complain (they may well be, I haven't read the Ts & Cs. Oops).

And it's not yet Mac compatible, so won't be using it anyway. Chrome, just not polished.

Dabitch's picture

Hehe, pun-meister. The purple-punman. Pun-o-rama-man!

Looks like everone is paranoid about that part though - see also This Post Not Made In Chrome; Google's EULA Sucks at TapTheHive.

Since Chrome is a Google product/software, then it is part of the "Services". The content you post to any site is thus subject to Section 11 licensing because the content you post is something "which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services".

In other words, by posting anything (via Chrome) to your blog(s), any forum, video site, myspace, itunes, or any other site that might happen to be supporting you, Google can use your work without paying you a dime. This doesn't just apply to blogger, youtube, gmail etc, and if you think it does, re-read section 1.1 and 11. It applies to everything you pass through Chrome. Google can take your submitted content and edit and reuse it all they want, as long as they do so in connection with Chrome. Even further, you're claiming that you have the power to grant these rights. So the people who work for Conde Nast (Wired, Arstechnica), TechCrunch, Gawker, any of the other big web publishers, or a university where the employee is performing research probably can't agree to the Chrome ToS because these people most likely don't have the right to give a license to the intellectual property (IP) they produce.

Hat top to equally paranoid Brent on adlist.

purplesimon's picture

The purple-punman. I kinda like that!

Anyway, I quit my job proper today. No more puns. It's time someone else took over, etc, etc.

Dabitch's picture

wait, you quit your agencyjob or being the resident Purple-punman king of all puns Adland job?

purplesimon's picture

Both. I know that the puns are in capable hands (yours). As for the agency, they'll be glad to be rid of me. :)

Dabitch's picture

aw man, I hope you soon find greener pastures. As for puns, I'm not even half as good as you are and you know it. We neeeeed you, man!

purplesimon's picture

I'll still find time to pop by and leave a pun or two around the site for your entertainment. Maybe even a sensible comment and the odd flame, too!

I just need to reinvigorate somehow and a spell away from the industry seems like the right thing to do. I hung on part-time, but in my heart I knew that wouldn't work so today I took the option to leave for good.

Dabitch's picture

Google backtracks on Chrome license terms

As of 2 p.m. PT, it looks like the terms have changed. Section 11 now reads simply: "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."