[SML] PayPal

[Mt. Angel Performing Arts Center]

On 5/5/2015 2:45 PM, Jerry Durand via Stagecraft wrote:
> The upcoming (July 1) change to the PayPal terms of service was just
> pointed out to me, specifically about giving them all rights to
> anything you publish or post using their "services".  Quote below:
>
> /“When providing us with content or posting content (in each case
> for publication, whether on- or off-line) using the Services, you
> grant the PayPal Group 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, in any media known now or in the future. Further, to the
> fullest extent permitted under applicable law, you waive your moral
> rights and promise not to assert such rights against the PayPal
> Group, its sublicensees or assignees. You represent and warrant that
> none of the following infringe any intellectual property right: your
> provision of content to us, your posting of content using the
> Services, and the PayPal Group’s use of such content (including of
> works derived from it) in connection with the Services.”
>
> https://www.paypal.com/ie/webapps/mpp/ua/upcoming-policies-full /

Seems like the usual ham-fisted boilerplate of the social media sites,
where everything you upload becomes their property.

PayPal may not realize they are not a social media site, they are a
payment portal for e-commerce. As far as I know they do not get any
'content' for republication or other use.

Maybe the intention is solely the second part of the message, that they 
(as a payment portal) are not liable to authors in the event a PayPal 
merchant sells a copyrighted item they do not have reproduction rights 
for. You would think an organization withe PayPal's resources could 
afford an attorney who can write comprehensible sentences - but maybe not.

IMO this boilerplate is pretty meaningless and and there will probably 
be a 'retraction', 'clarification' or 'restatement' in the near future. 
If not, what other payment system is available for online e-commerce for 
those of us not interested in further dealings with PayPal?

Carla

Keep skunks and bankers at a distance. Robert Heinlein