This document summarizes key aspects of Twitter's terms of service and privacy policy. It notes that while users retain ownership of their content on Twitter, the company is granted broad licenses to use, copy, and distribute that content. It also explains that Twitter collects various user data through cookies and shares information with third parties. Finally, it advises users to be aware of the public nature of Twitter and to carefully review privacy and account settings.

1. Net 303 – Internet, Politics and Power

2. Twitter – You are what you tweet!
 Approximately 200 Million (Sheils, 2011) Users
Worldwide1 and is one of the fastest (Carmichael, 2011)
growing social networks!2
 What you say on Twitter can be viewed around the
world instantly!
 Your content can reach millions quickly!

3. The Twitter Terms of Service
Chances are you ticked the terms of service box to sign
up for Twitter without reading the agreement...
So what does using
mean for you??

4. So who owns your content?
You!... Sort of. What Twitter gets?
 You retain your rights to any  By submitting, posting or
Content you submit, post or display displaying Content on or
on or through the Services.
(Terms, 2011 A) through the Services, you
grant us a worldwide, non-
exclusive, royalty-free license
(with the right to sublicense)
to
use, copy, reproduce, process,
adapt, modify, publish, trans
mit, display and distribute
such Content in any and all
media or distribution
methods (now known or later
developed). (Terms, 2011 B)

5. Why is my tweet on the news?
 Twitter can make your 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”
(Terms, 2011 C)
Despite this, Twitter still claims “what’s
yours is yours – you own your Content
(and your photos are part of that
Content)”

6. If I post something that’s not mine?
 Be careful! If you post content without rights to use or
deemed to infringe copyright you (not Twitter!) will be
liable. It’s ‘your’ content.
 Twitter holds no responsibility or liability for the
content you upload.
Twitter reserves the right to
remove any infringing content
without prior notice.

7. What can I tweet about?
 No impersonation or posting of another’s private
information
 No copyright or trademark information
 No violence or threats
 No illegal activities
 No SPAM!
 No Phishing or Malware
 No pornography

8. Rules made to be broken?
If you break Twitter’s content rules your account may
be suspended.

9. I Googled myself...
Your Twitter profile is likely to turn up in Google
searches UNLESS you:
1. Change your name
2. Change your username
3. “Protect” your Tweets
Twitter accounts default to a public setting! Protected
accounts limit visibility.

10. My privacy is important!
Some information is publicly listed, eg your
name, username, picture, bio and location.
(Privacy, 2011 A)
Twitter is “primarily designed to help you share
information with the world... information you provide
to us is information you are asking us to make public.”
(Privacy, 2011B)

11. What information does Twitter
record?
Location • Search Terms • IP Address • Pages Visited
Browser Type • Links • Mobile Carrier • Device ID
... “Mass Dataveillence!”(Lessig, L. 1998)
•Twitter collects data on you through
cookie technology.
Twitter allows (unnamed) associated third
parties to collect your personal information
and data about you!

12. Why does Twitter want to know so
much about me?
1)

13. Too young to Tweet?
Twitter is not for children under age 139
Twitter does not actively monitor content and may not be
aware of your child’s safety issues (but can remove content
on request)
Children may not be aware of content sharing risks:
You don’t want your child to become the next...

14. Still a Twitterphile?
Just keep in mind:
 Your privacy is important! Check your account settings
and know what you are sharing.
 Be aware online! Social media sites are fantastic tools
but use them with eyes open to their potential risks.
And lastly...
 Don’t just take my word for it! Be ‘tweet smart’: read
the Terms of Service!

15. References:
1) Sheils, M (2011) Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorset Rejoins Company, BBC News Business.
Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business
2) Carmichael, M. (2011) Uncovering Just Who’s Your Friend Or Follower, Advertising
Age, 82(20), p12. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au
3) Terms of Service (2011 A). Retrieved from http://twitter.com/tos
4) Terms of Service (2011 B). Retrieved from http://twitter.com/tos
5) Terms of Service (2011 C). Retrieved from http://twitter.com/tos
6) Privacy (2011 A). Retrieved from http://twitter.com/privacy
7) Privacy (2011 B). Retrieved from http://twitter.com/privacy
8) Zittrain, J. (2008) Meeting the Risks of Generativity: Privacy 2.0, The Future of the
Internet and How to Stop it. Retrieved from http://yupnet.org/zittrain/archives/20
9) Lessig, L. (1998) The Architecture of Privacy. Retrieved from
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/works/lessig/architecture_priv.pdf
10) Safety (2011). Retrieved from https://support.twitter.com/groups/33-report-a-
violation/topics/166-safety-center/articles/470968-safety-parent-and-teen-tips