DISQUS

TDavid · 1 year ago

I'm happily part of the 30% and nothing Robert says -- no matter how persuasively in a live blogger press conference ;) -- is going to make me switch camps.

mark · 1 year ago

I agree with the comment about TOS violation, to a point. The problem is that it's not as clear cut as you describe, and the enforceability and legal overstepping in most web TOS "agreements" is questionable. I think people like Scoble are doing a service to the industry in pushing the boundaries, though I wish a few would end up in court to set clear legal precedent.

This anti-scraping clause is appearing more and more, and it begs a question about who owns the data. Do they own your data? Do they have copyright on your writings because they store them? Do you have shared rights, or any rights at all? If they shut off access, do you have the right to obtain your data? Today the default answer is generally "no", though without legal precedents to say whether that answer is real or enforceable.

Another problem is the rapid rise of specific companies that dominate the landscape, ala Facebook or Google, and the power they can wield. "Use another service" isn't always the best answer, particularly when it's platform-type services. We aren't in a tech market any more - we're in a mass consumer market. Like it or not, these dominant players can establish good or bad ground rules that have a much broader effect on the industry as a whole. Some people with bigger soapboxes can help point out the problems and maybe, if we're lucky, get them to shift to more reasonable policies.

Bol-anon · 1 year ago

Thou shall not steal. Didn't he read the terms of use of Facebook?

Jeffro2pt0 · 1 year ago

Well said Steve. Not sure how many times you've said it but I guess people just don't get it. People are signing up to Facebook and then demanding that this happen or that this can't happen ect. When in the TOS, it's completely justified. As you said, you don't like it, you shouldn't of signed the damn contract and it's time to find a way to remove your account.

pB · 1 year ago

This is interesting, and is kind of inline with some thoughts I had the other day. Might chat about it sometime over the weekend.

Cheers