AIM TOS Updated: Looks like iChat is Safe Again

For previous coverage of this issue, see here and here. AOL updated the wording of their AIM Terms of Service today to eliminate the particularly horribly phrased and potentially abused statements: ”You waive any right to privacy. You waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Content or to be compensated for any such uses.”

The new TOS (which by the way is still dated Feb. 5, 2004) removes any discussion of AOL owning your private chat conversations, while clarifying that content posted to any public forum may be used by AOL in any way they see fit: ”Once you submit or post Content to any public area on an AIM Product, AOL does not need to give you any further right to inspect or approve uses of such Content or to compensate you for any such uses. AOL owns all right, title and interest in any compilation, collective work or other derivative work created by AOL using or incorporating Content posted to public areas of AIM Products.”

Much better. Now, please excuse me, while I go set up my new Jabber account to work with Adium...