Google, the search engine monster, released its internet browser software yesterday. I have not used it yet due to the fact that the browser, called Chrome, only runs under Windows at this time and I run mainly on Macs.

Now, chances are I will never use Chrome due to the insane EULA. Take a close look at the end user license agreement that you most likely ignored when you downloaded and installed Chrome. According to the agreement, Google owns everything you create or publish while using Chrome

The following excerpt was posted on Gizmodo:

11. Content license from you

11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services.By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services.This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.

11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.

11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions.

11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.

If this is true, I wouldn’t own these words or any images in this Blog if I used Chrome to update my site.

That is INSANE.

No Chrome for me.

*** UPDATE ***

Google’s Rebecca Ward, Senior Product Counsel for Google Chrome,  tells Ars Technica that Google tries to reuse licenses as much as possible, “in order to keep things simple for our users.” Ward says that sometimes “this means that the legal terms for a specific product may include terms that don’t apply well to the use of that product” and  Google is “working quickly to remove language from Section 11 of the current Google Chrome terms of service. This change will apply retroactively to all users who have downloaded Google Chrome.”

*** UPDATE 2 ***

I have been told that the EULA has been changed to:

“11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. ”

Hopefully this is true. I will wait for the Mac release and look into it further.