Poop On The Bird.

[Billie Tutas/Co-Owner TTR]

I know most of you are huge fans of Twitter. I, on the other hand, am not. I find The Twit boxes me in and serves no purpose in our business. Very few people in our market utilize the bird. Even if they did, we probably still wouldn't use The Twit. As our time "is of the essence" there's only so much Social Media we can keep track of. The Twit isn't very high on our priority list.

If I didn't already dislike The Twit I'd be truly concerned about what I've just found out. Did any of you know that every photo you upload to The Twit becomes their property? It's true and it is disclosed in their TOS. When you load a photo to The Twit it's automatically sub-licensed. This means TheTwit can do anything it wants with your photos. Worse yet, if there ever comes a time where you would like to claim uploaded photos as yours, you can't. By loading the photos on their site, you're no longer the sole owner of said photos.

Here's a snip-it from their TOS that details exactly what you agreed to: "By submitting,posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free (with the right to sub-license) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all medial or distribution methods (now known or later developed.)"

We need not be Attorneys to understand that statement. And if that isn't enough for you to say Whoa, how's this: "You agree that this license includes the right for Twitter to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals who partner with Twitter for the syndication broadcast, distribution or publication of such Content on other media and services, subject to our terms and conditions for Content use."

Do you see the flaw? Do you get it? The Twit has just told you they can sell the pictures of you, your kids, your grand mother, and your friends, to third parties. No, you will not profit from this, but The Twit will. If
they see there's a market for that wonderful pic of your 2 year old Son picking his nose for the first time, they will and can sell it. There's not a thing you can do about it when you see your child on the most recent issue of Reader's Digest. All of this is why I say: Poop On The Bird. They just gave me one more reason to treat them as if they have Cooties.

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