PayPal Asserts Copyright Ownership Over All IP

[gman5250]

PayPal Asserts Copyright Ownership Over All Intellectual Property of its Users:

Although this may be more approriate for the News Forum, I felt it of enough importance to post in a high traffic area.

There are many developers who frequent this site who should be advised of the new PayPal contract which includes a provision that grants them "a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, sublicensable (through multiple tiers) right to exercise any and all copyright, publicity, trademarks, database rights and intellectual property rights you have in the content..."


link:https://www.paypal.com/ie/webapps/mp...ll?locale.x=GB


IMHO this an outrageous over reach that has enormous implications. If you value your IP...have a read for yourself.

If this post breaches any SOH policy, you may delete the post at your discretion.

[Sundog]

It will be interesting to see the fall out from this, because while small developers probably can't do anything about it, I'll bet there are large corporations selling product online with Paypal that won't allow Paypal to step on their property rights/ownership. Thanks for the heads up.

[Daveroo]

i guess im not real sure what this means..if a guy like lionheart sells his planes with a link to paypal..they can take the rights to anything sold from there?...if so..how can something no more than a service to the people have the right to do so?...if there is no law to stop this..there should be...

[StormILM]

I had long ditched Paypal for a number of reasons. Now I see my move was even more well guided than previously thought.

[fsxar177]

Gman,
It doesn't look like this has anything to do what what your selling, but rather what you provide to PayPal.
It clearly states "your provision of content to us, your posting of content using the Services"

When you build detailed invoices, or correspondents through PayPal, it is common to attach personalized graphics, and details to those. I'm sure that this is what 1.3 refers to, and is nothing the least alarming.
They are probably preparing to upgrade these features, to be used in a broader range. I Applaud them.

I have been using PayPal for 15 years, and have never had anything other than great experience.

- Joseph

[Sundog]

I hope you're right. I've asked some lawyers to interpret it for me.

[pilto von pilto]

I dont know anything about law. But can someone tell me what real impact this actually would have on a developer ? I ask this in a non combative way I really cant see a huge impact that this will have on a developer. I dont think paypal is going to use my code for flushing a toilet in a dc8 to revolutionise online payment methods.

Also as fsxar177 says the last part is the actual modifier to the first part. I read it more along the lines ( if you read the whole bulletin ) that paypal whilst still being under the ebay umbrella are extricating themselves from a multi business situation and protecting themselves and (possibly) their users ?

Oh and it is very UK specific. Seems odd to make references to the UK if it is an international change to their policy.

[MarkH]

IMHO this an outrageous over reach that has enormous implications

I think they are claiming the content of your eBay ads, not the things you are advertising. This is exactly what Amazon does when you post a review on their site.

[hairyspin]

I think they are claiming the content of your eBay ads, not the things you are advertising. This is exactly what Amazon does when you post a review on their site.

Agreed. We don't use PayPal to supply or download FS add-ons, only to buy or or be paid for them. They are not assuming IP rights over your products, just assuming permission to re-use your words, pictures or videos which advertise these products using PayPal services. If you don't want a product video reused by PayPal, don't put it on your eBay advert.

Check with a lawyer if you want this clarified.

[DarrenL]

And all linked to the corporate separation of Paypal from Ebay - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/be5f96a4-e...44feab7de.html

[jtrandttr]

I think fsxar177 could be right on this. See the PayPal user agreement (link below) that will come into effect after the change, specifically paragraph 1.3 (in its entirety) which is where the new language is being added. The existing IP license only dealt with the licensing of PayPal's IP (PayPal logo, etc.) by users on their websites (unilateral).

Based on my read, they are broadening the language in paragraph 1.3 so that it will now address IP coming from the other direction (from a user to PayPal) that might or might not end up being posted on PayPal's website. So the new agreement will now address IP licensing in both directions. Don't get me wrong--it is by no means symmetrical (PayPal is getting more than it's gives from a licensing perspective), but I think I understand the change. What I haven't figured out yet is why this change was triggered by the spin-off from eBay.

https://www.paypalobjects.com/websta...EU/ints/ua.pdf

Tom

[fsxar177]

Yes, Tom, I am


Having written numerous legal agreements myself, I see this as being pretty straightforward, and certainly nothing that would negatively effect us FS dev's.

- Joseph