ACK - LJ's User Agreement

[shadowkat]

So, the contract lawyer in me is balking at the new LJ user agreement. Possibly because the English translation isn't valid, only the Russian version is, which means good luck getting that to hold up in US or international courts. There's a general rule that if the user can't read the language, you can't enforce it, particularly if the internationally recognized language is English. (Sorry, Russia, it's not Russian, it's English, and possibly Spanish.) It's a jurisdictional nightmare. And it's vague in various spots. I can see sort of legal issues...

What concerns me? The ability to reuse my content willy-nilly, and/or block it willy-nilly, which to be fair they've always been able to do - regardless of the agreement. Copyright ownership on social media is a slippery slope. People can legitimately cut and past from you without you knowing it. You are, like it or not, posting from the center of Time's Square.

Also, a little unnerved by the fact that we're not protected by the consumer's right act and responsible for security.

I don't know if I will sign it. I transferred my blog over here some time ago and have been more or less cross-posting ever since. The only things not cross-posted are the photos. I may sign and then delete the whole thing in four months. With everything over here. No cross-posting.

I tend to talk to folks over here more than over there anyhow.

What do you think? Thoughts? Any contract lawyers other than me on this thing?

Comments

[beer_good_foamy]

What do you think?

I think I know when I'm not wanted someplace and will respond accordingly. Fuck'em.

[yourlibrarian]

I think this is probably the most apt and succinct response I've seen yet!

[shadowkat]

Unless of course you are paying them money, in which case, yes, they want you. (The agreement doesn't affect paid users apparently, mainly because it can't -- in violation of certain laws.)

[beer_good_foamy]

I've seen several people with both paid and permanent accounts say they've had to sign the agreement, and that there are now ads on their LJs in direct violation of the deal they made earlier. And of course, US consumer laws no longer apply.

[shadowkat]

Didn't know that. That would piss me off. Very glad I never got a paid account. Someone gave me one for a bit, but I didn't see much benefit in it. Mine was an upgraded account, basically as high as you can go without paying anything.

I deleted my journal. It's gone. Along with my comments. (Well after 60 days, right now, just blocked.)