[SML] PayPal

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Back to something from earlier this week...

Until now, I have been a very happy PayPal customer/user.  No
monthly minimum charges.easy integration with my Web site (on a
hosted server).simple shopping cart creation and
management.transparent handling of credit cards and foreign
funds.simple funds transfer.etc.

I ran the updated language by my lawyer and he used phrases like
"really overreaching" and pretty-much affirmed the alarm that
many are sounding - regardless of PayPal's underlying intent.  I
will likely be an ex-customer/user w/o some PayPal language
adjustment or significant clarification.  Knowing that some MUCH
bigger players than I use the service, I'd be a little surprised
if either didn't happen.

I have contacted PayPal and here is the meat (though, pretty
lean) of the reply sent:

"...the paragraph you mention essentially means that PayPal has
permission to use content that you post for publication using our
services. Because hosting material on any web site involves
copying, PayPal needs your permission to use such material in
order to comply with intellectual property law (such as copyright
law). We have attempted to make this update clear in the Policy
Update text and apologize for any confusion caused."

I understand what the intent seems to be but the actual wording
of the paragraph seems to go WAY beyond that.

Making the assumption that PayPal sticks to its guns, can any of
you recommend another company offering similar services (see
above)?

C. Andrew Dunning
Landru Design
-
Nashville, TN, USA
-
cad at landrudesign.com
landrudesign at gmail.com
landrudesign at comcast.net
www.landrudesign.com