Hi all,

I'm planning to start using the social networks to make business contacts and somewhat promote my professional services. Very briefly, could you provide feedback on these ones, regarding their trustworthiness? If I place MY CONTENT on their networks will I have problems with them in terms of ownership? do I relinquish rights of privacy by placing MY CONTENT on their networks?

a) TWITTER

b) FACEBOOK - **I'm not planning to use it anyway**

c) LINKEDIN

d) YOUTUBE

e) GOOGLE+

BRgds

Facebook is definitely problematical. I use it, but I am very careful about what I put there--mostly stuff I want to be public, like my blog posts, pictures of scenery (never of my family and friends), and the like.

I think Google+ is a little better, but then there's this:

http://gigaom.com/2011/08/29/its-off...line-identity/

I do think that Google tries to live up to its motto to "do no evil," despite a several well-publicized goofs; I would not expect them to make a policy change and the process reset all settings to public, as Facebook has been known to do, but I still exercise care.

I have a few Linux-related vids on YouTube, but nothing else.

The others I haven't used.

I try to remember at all times that the internet is a public place.

If I really want it private, I use email. If I want it completely confidential, I use a land line or an envelope and a stamp.

Thanks FrankBell

I got the following from a Blogger Agreement / Terms of Service.
As Blogger is part of Google I expect Google+ Agreements wouldn't differ too much from this one:


3. Privacy. As a condition of using the Service, you agree to the terms of the Google Privacy Policy (http://www.google.com/privacy.html), which may be updated from time to time, as expressed in the most recent version that exists at the time of your use. You agree that Google may access or disclose your personal information, including the content of your communications, if Google is required to do so in order to comply with any valid legal process or governmental request (such as a search warrant, subpoena, statute or court order) or as otherwise provided in these Terms of Service and the general Google Privacy Policy. Personal information collected by Google may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Google Inc. or its agents maintain facilities. By using the Service, you consent to any such transfer of information outside your country.

So, they wouldn't normally access or disclose your personal information but reserve the right to do so if needed.

6. Intellectual Property Rights. Google's Intellectual Property Rights. You acknowledge that Google owns all right, title and interest in and to the Service, including all intellectual property rights (the "Google Rights"). Google Rights are protected by US and international intellectual property laws. Accordingly, you agree that you will not copy, reproduce, alter, modify or create derivative works from the Service. You also agree that you will not use any robot, spider, other automated device or manual process to monitor or copy any content from the Service. As described below, Google Rights do not include third-party content used as part of the Service, including the content of communications appearing on the Service.

Your Intellectual Property Rights. Google claims no ownership or control over any Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through Google services. You or a third-party licensor, as appropriate, retain all patent, trademark and copyright to any Content you submit, post or display on or through Google services and you are responsible for protecting those rights, as appropriate. By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through Google services which are intended to be available to the members of the public, you grant Google a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce, publish and distribute such Content on Google services for the purpose of displaying and distributing Google services. Google furthermore reserves the right to refuse to accept, post, display or transmit any Content at its sole discretion.

You represent and warrant that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the rights granted herein to any Content submitted.

You may choose to submit, post and display any materials on or through the Blogger service or Blogspot.com under a public licence (e.g. a Creative Commons licence), whether by manually marking your materials as such or using Blogger service tools to do so. For avoidance of doubt, Google is not a party to any such public licence between you and any third party. In addition, for avoidance of doubt, Google may choose to exercise the rights granted under (a) the public licence or licences, if any, you apply to your materials or (b) this Agreement.

So,
- Google claims no ownership or control over any Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through Google services.
GOOD!
- ..you grant Google a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce, publish and distribute such Content on Google services for the purpose of displaying and distributing Google services.
FAIR ENOUGH!

You can't trust any of those with your personal data - they are all in the data mining/adware business. They are not "free" services.

This is the provision which I would be most interested in comparing with Google+'s TOS, but I'm too lazy to do it.

I know that Facebook makes it notoriously difficult for users to delete content when they decided to leave (unless that has change recently). Deactivating your account does not provide a "delete content" option.

Of the sites you listed, I would lean towards Wordpress (unless you decided to get your own domain on a hosting provider) as blogs are its reasons for existence and a friend of mine is quite happy with their service. They also offer domain registration and "premium services," on the income-producing side for the site.

Diaspora is an interesting project.
http://hayesandgrey.co.uk/14.html
https://joindiaspora.com/

You should assume that what you "make public" through any of these services becomes "a thing that they can 'make public' on your behalf" without compensation to you. (Presumably also, this is exactly what you want them to do.)

You should also assume that anything you "don't make public" to them, they will nevertheless keep forever.