Pinterest Updates TOS, Removes Bit About Selling Your Content
As Pinterest has become the Jeremy Lin of social networks (I don’t actually know who he is but I started hearing about him all of a sudden out of nowhere, like Pinterest, and I think he is the President of Occupy Wall Street or something), naysayers have begun sounding the alarm about copyright law and danger to users of being thrown in jail over repinning kitty litter pics. Or something.
Part of the panic arose because of some language in the TOS indicating that Pinterest could turn around and sell something you’ve pinned to a third party, with the assumption being, I suppose, that the company was mining for content to flog and then leave users holding the bag when the copyright holders came knocking. Brilliant!
It seemed a bit of a leap of logic when the panic was new, and in updates made to the TOS that are due to go into effect on April 6th, Pinterest has stricken that language from the terms. In a blog post, founder Ben Silbermann highlights the major changes:
Our original Terms stated that by posting content to Pinterest you grant Pinterest the right for us to sell your content. Selling content was never our intention and we removed this from our updated Terms.
We updated our Acceptable Use Policy and we will not allow pins that explicitly encourage self-harm or self-abuse.
We released simpler tools for anyone to report alleged copyright or trademark infringements.
Finally, we added language that will pave the way for new features such as a Pinterest API and Private Pinboards.
I’d also imagine if Pinterest is giving up this “right” so readily, it probably wasn’t ever the company’s intention to monetize via selling user pins. Have you been more cautious in pinning since the Pinterest copyright panic began?
Comments
About the Author
Kim LaCapria Kim LaCapria is a writer and editor based in New York. A longtime information junkie, she began blogging full-time at the Inquisitr in 2009. Prior to that, she worked as a marketing assistant in the cosmetics and skincare industry. In addition to her writing for fortytwotimes, she also writes for Medacity and The Inquisitr. Kim is also a contributor for SocialNewsDaily, Indyposted, and TotallyMoney. In the past, she contributed to Lipstick and Luxury and managed social media accounts and blogs for several small and mid-sized businesses.
Related Posts
Mugshots On Pinterest Raise Arrest Rate In Pennsylvania Town By 58% →
Pinterest Now The Third Most Visited Social Site →
President Obama is Totally Pinning Stuff on Pinterest →
