Online Policy Primer developed for the purposes of studying online 'Terms of Use'

1. Blogger Terms of Service: Privacy, Content and Ownership Net 23 The Internet: Policy, Regulation and Governance

2. Terms of Service Many online services require the user to consent to ‘Terms of Service’ prior to use. However ‘Terms of Service’ often go unread by busy people who consent to abide by the terms without reading the agreement (NPR, 2007).

3. Google’s Blogger is one application that requires the user to check a box signalling acceptance of the ‘Terms of Service’ prior to using the service.By checking the box you agree to abide by Blogger’s Terms of Service Blogger’s Content Policy Blogger’s Privacy Notice Google’s Terms of Service Google’s Privacy policy as well as any future changes that occur within these agreements, if the service is used after the agreements have been changed (Google,2009).

4. Within these agreements there are issues related to Privacy, Freedom of Expression and ownership.

5. Blogger and Privacy By accepting the ‘Terms of Service’ you agree that all the information you provide to Google is correct – this includes your email address (Google, 2009). Once you supply your email address Google is able to associate it with other information it has collected about your activities (NPR,2007). Further information collected by Google when you use Blogger includes how and when you use Blogger (Google, 2009) your internet protocol address, browser, or mobile number if using blogger mobile (Google, 2009 & 2007)

7. If you choose to access another application via Blogger, Google is not responsible for the security of the information that your provide when using the application. (Google, 2009)

9. Blogger and Permissible Content The content of Blogger is not monitored, however the BloggerContent Policy (Google,2009) asks that you do not use the platform to assist with illegal activities take advantage of children gain a profit from adult content threaten people publish other people’s personal information post ‘crude content’’ to offend others inflict ‘malicious code’ on users distribute spam ‘mislead readers’

10. Penalties for Unauthorized Content Posting of material that contradicts the BloggerContent Policy (Google,2009)may result in deletion of your blog (Google, 2009) you being denied access to your Blogger account and or Google account (Google, 2009) other users being denied access to the blog (Google, 2009) your blog being marked with a warning that it contains “mature content” (Google, 2009) law enforcement being informed where content is illegal (Google, 2009) Google also, “reserves the right (but shall have no obligation) to pre-screen, review, flag, filter, modify, refuse or remove any or all content from any service”(Google, 2009)

11. Although the Blogger Content Policy may seem stringent, it offers protection to Blogger readers and the wider community by limiting the risks of readers coming into contact with material that is of an unsavoury nature. For example: Cyberbullying as discussed inPatchin & Hinduja (2006) Caution is needed when posting content to Bloggerensure you comply with the Blogger Content Policy to prevent loss of your information if your blog is deleted. Remember Google keeps copies of what is posted to your blog including what is deleted.

12. Any content posted by you to Blogger, is owned by the author of the material and you are liable for any legal action that may result from the content. Blogger and Ownership You give your consent for Google to “reproduce, distribute and change content”(Google 2008).

13. You are providing Google with free content that they may use to assist with profit generation.(Zwick, Bonsu & Darmody, 2008) Google may alter your content or place it with other material resulting in your material conveying a different message or idea than was originally your intension.

14. Copyright If Google becomes aware of a copyright infringement within your blog, Google may choose to delete your blog or refuse access to it. There are previsions to appeal this decision, however any subsequent legal action that may arise is your responsibility (Google, 2009). “So far there seem to be relatively few legal cases directly aimed at the creation of non-commercial derivative works by individuals.” (Wunsch-Vincent, 2007)

15. Reference List Conan, N. (host), McCullagh, D.(Speaker), Pasquale, F.(Speaker), & Wong, N.(Speaker). (2007). Privacy Advocates Wary of Google Tactics: NPR. [Transcript] para 21 73 & 94. Retrieved 17th October 2009 from http//www.nrp.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=11159716 Google (2009) Blogger Content Policy: Blogger. Retrieved 19 October, 2009 from http://www.blogger.com/content.g Google (2007) Blogger Privacy Notice. Blogger. Retrieved 19 October, 2009 from http://www.blogger.com/privacy Google (2009) Blogger Terms of Service. Blogger. Retrieved 19 October, 2009, from http://www.blogger.com/terms.g Google (2009) Privacy Policy: Google Privacy Centre. Retrieved 10 October,2009 from http://www.google.com/privacypolicy.html Google (2008) Terms of Service: Google. Retrieved 20 October, 2009, from http://www.google.com/accounts/TOS

16. Patchin, J., & Hinduja, S. (2006) Bullies Move Beyond the Schoolyard: A Preliminary Look at Cyberbullying. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice. 4(148). Retrieved 22 October, 2009, from http://yvj.sagepub.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/cgi/reprint/4/2/148 Privacy Rights (2009) Privacy and the Internet: Traveling in Cyberspace Safely. Retrieved 21 October, 2009, from http://privacyrights.org/fs/fs18-cyb.htm#Personal_WebSites Wunsch-Vincent, S.(2007) Participative web and user-created content: web 2.0, wikis and social networking. OECD. Retrieved 22 October, 2009 from http://books.google.com.au/books?id=S3vyJ8Do8GoC&pg=PA84&dq=%22web+2.0%22+(copyright+or+ownership)&lr=#v=onepage&q=&f=false Zwick, D., Bonsu, S., Darmody, A. (2008) Putting Consumers to Work: ‘Co-creation’ and new marketing govern-mentality. Journal of Consumer Culture.8(163), page 183. Retrieved 22 October, 2009, from http://joc.sagepub.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/cgi/reprint/8/2/163