EFF tracking policy changes at Google, Facebook and others
The Electronic Frontier Foundation on Thursday launched a new online site that keeps track of the policy changes at popular Web sites as specified in their terms of service.
The EFF's TOSBack site lists the terms of service and offers alerts when the terms of service on tracked sites change. It features a real-time feed of changes and side-by-side before and after comparisons with highlights in different colors for text that has been removed or added.
The EFF's new TOSBack tracker site highlights changes companies make to their terms of service.
(Credit: Electronic Frontier Foundation)The sites being tracked include Google's Blogger, Facebook, YouTube, eBay, Apple, WordPress, Data.Gov, and GoDaddy.
"'Terms of Service' policies on websites define how Internet businesses interact with you and use your personal information," the EFF said in a statement. "But most web users don't read these policies--or understand that the terms are constantly changing."
Companies can change their terms of service at any time, for any reason and without any notification to users. This site will give people an easy way to keep track of policy changes.
Many TOS changes are minor, but companies often make changes under the radar that could have serious consequences for user privacy.
Facebook earlier this year modified its terms of use to give it a perpetual license to use deleted user content. The company later backed down and returned to its former terms of service after a user revolt and the threat that privacy advocates would file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service, and the Associated Press. E-mail Elinor. 
If I could read future stuff, I'd be a very rich man!
History:
Earlier today, I logged into an old email account, just to see if I missed anyone when I sent out change of email messages of the past year. Therein, I see 15 emails which I come to learn are related to the events of the hacking of the email systems at "The Industrial Physicist" magazine which I once subscribed to. I last accepted emails from them about 2005 or 2006. At that time, I respectfully unsubscribed and their emails stopped, exactly as would be expected.
The down side here is that the very last subscribed message they sent me read, if I recall correctly: "to be removed from this mailing list, simply reply...". I replied, I did not get an email from them after the confirmation. That was years ago.
Fast forward 3 or 4 years, I get 4 emails which, according to my email provider, each contained the same virus in the form of a zip attachment. Along with the viral messages, my email provider had to also send one or two emails telling me what their virus software found, and what remained of the message after virus extraction. And the email with the apology from the president.
Here you have the critical details: I requested to be removed from the email list. Years pass, a hacker sends virus riddled email.
Conclusion:
REMOVED does not imply to me that there WILL be retention of my email data. I do not appreciate anyone playing of word games with me. I understand the publishers systems were hacked, they have my sympathy to an extent (I personally use Linux and enjoy the current dearth of viruses and trojans).
The point here is that companies will do whatever THEY want. Just try renegotiating the TOU... TOUs form a contract, and in normal face to face business, each party can edit and modify a proposed contract and then present the edited contract for acceptance. You can't do this on the internet or with sealed commercial software.... there aren't enough lawyers on the side of the consumer, I guess.
I would press the EFF to point out that there is no parity between "before we join" and "after we depart". The concept of retaining data seems to be part of what is offending website users. Or just me.