[SML] PayPal

[billn at peak.org]

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

Not really their property - just an eternal license to use your submitted
property in any way they feel fit.

> 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.

Does the site have user forums? If so, I would expect that is the matter to
which they are referring.

> 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.

What are "moral rights"?

> 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?

In the past, they have often left idiotic statements in place for years, even
when pointed out to Paypal representatives.

Apparently ebay is divesting themselves of Paypal. But from what I understand,
Paypal will still be their preferred payment method.

Bill

Bill