Did you know that some services and apps you use may be snooping on your personal information, edit contacts, reading your texts and even send emails without your permission. And services like Google, Facebook and Linkedin have the rights to edit, distribute and modify the content you upload.
Data Privacy Day passed by on January 28, now let's take a look at a few services and mobile apps terms and conditions and you'll be shocked at the permission you've granted.
Linkedin can modify and distribute your content without permission
As between you and LinkedIn, you own the content and information that you submit or post to the Services and you are only granting LinkedIn the following non-exclusive license: A worldwide, transferable and sublicensable right to use, copy, modify, distribute, publish, and process, information and content that you provide through our Services, without any further consent, notice and/or compensation to you or others. Read full terms https://www.linkedin.com/legal/user-agreement
Google can translate or adapt your content
When you upload, submit, store, send or receive content to or through our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. https://www.google.com/policies/terms/
Facebook has global license to all that you post
You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings. In addition: For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms
Whatsapp keeps track of all your contacts
You expressly acknowledge and agree that in order to provide the Service, WhatsApp may periodically access your contact list and/or address book on your mobile device to find and keep track of mobile phone numbers of other users of the Service. https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/
Torchlight apps can use your pictures on any advertisement
You give us permission to use your name, profile picture, content, and information in connection with commercial, sponsored, or related content (such as a brand you like) served or enhanced by us. http://www.techtimes.com/articles/18762/20141026/flashlight-apps-are-spying-on-users-android-ios-windows-phone-smartphones-is-yours-on-the-list.htm
Users want the service free and companies need revenue. Therefore, these terms and conditions are not going to change any sooner. But the point is that users are unaware of the unconditional permission provided to the service providers.
Think you own your online life? The truth is NO.