Empire Avenue Is On The Wrong Side Of Town

Martijn Linssen suggests that we take a look at the terms of service before signing up to a new service: in this case, he is thinking of Empire Avenue, the newest sizzling social game. He quotes the TOS there:

Here’s the crucial part of Empire Avenue’s TOS:

For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, such as photos and videos (“IP content”), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your Privacy Settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with the Web Site (“IP License”). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content and/or your account unless your content has been shared with others and they have not deleted it.

You grant Empire Avenue the right to share User Content , data , and derivates of them (such as compatibility metrics) with advertisers and other registered users as specified by the Privacy Policy and your Privacy Settings

By default, that means that everything you put on or through EA, is theirs - and theirs to sell to others. “Unless your content has been shared with others and they have not deleted it” - yeah right, how many lifetimes will it take to prove that?

Meanwhile, I had an interesting discussion with Tom Ohle of Empire Avenue in yesterday’s post about the service, in which he suggests that I might be misjudging EA since it isn’t really attempting to determine influence of its users, despite what others might be saying.

Also, I have been heckled by a bunch of Empire Avenue devotees in my earlier post, in which I suggest the hot new social game isn’t that interesting. Some suggest I should look into it a bit further before making a judgment, but others go further:

Jake Kern

However, this is so much more than a game. It’s a way to get amazing metrics for different networks. It’s an opportunity to meet new people and use a fun, casual atmosphere to connect and make REAL friendships. So, some random, anonymous guy has now become pals with the amazing Shannon Morgan and so many other people with intelligence, wit, and care that is very difficult to find in one place.

Seems to me you’re really missing the point of the whole thing…either that or you’re simply spouting negative about something everyone else seems to be enjoying for the sake of gaining attention. Well played, Mr. Stowe Boyd! I would have never heard of you if not for the tripe you just posted.

or this:

Ryan Zeigler

This sounds like an ugly kid protesting a beauty pageant. You did your homework but you come off like the rhetorical jilted teen in your example.

Oh yes. I am simply writing about EA in less than glowing terms because I am looking to gain attention with my ‘tripe’, and because I feel like a jilted teenager. That’s me, alright, some nobody with an agenda.