
Not Only Is Google Places Going After Yelp, They’re Doing So With Yelp’s Content - daniel_levine
http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/26/google-yelp/
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daniel_levine
The reason I posted this to HN is that it suggests two big things.

First, that Google is using the threat of search indexing to steal content for
their own sites beyond what would seem fair use.

Second, that Google is preinstalling its own apps with Android which seems
eerily similar to what MS did with Windows and IE.

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blueben
Now wait a second; Google is stealing Yelp's content? Since when does Yelp
"own" my reviews? When Yelp begins paying for the content others are
generating for them then we can consider the moral outrage of this "theft".

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apower
Have you reviewed their Terms of Usage before you put in your reviews?

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blueben
Yes. Have you?

Section 5, Part C. Ownership

As between you and Yelp, you own Your Content. We own the Yelp Content,
including but not limited to visual interfaces, interactive features,
graphics, design, compilation, computer code, products, software, aggregate
user review ratings, and all other elements and components of the Service
excluding Your Content, User Content and Third Party Content. We also own the
copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, and other intellectual and
proprietary rights throughout the world (the "IP Rights") associated with the
Yelp Content and the Service, which are protected by copyright, trade dress,
patent, trademark laws and all other applicable intellectual and proprietary
rights and laws. As such, you may not modify, reproduce, distribute, create
derivative works or adaptations of, publicly display or in any way exploit any
of the Yelp Content in whole or in part except as expressly authorized by us.
Except as expressly and unambiguously provided herein, we do not grant you any
express or implied rights, and all rights in and to the Service and the Yelp
Content are retained by us.

Your Content is defined in Section 1, Part B. Content.

"Your Content" means Content that you submit or transmit to, through, or in
connection with the Service, such as ratings, reviews, compliments,
invitations, check-ins, messages, and information that you publicly display or
displayed in your account profile.

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weaksauce
So based on that, and I am not a lawyer, google is in the clear if they just
scrape the user content and republish it so long as they are able to calculate
the average user rating on their own. They would do this anyway because they
are pulling information from many different sources and aggregating the score
there.

------
apower
Is Google using its search monopoly power like Microsoft to crush
competitions? Where is DOJ when you need them?

