Google Plus, All But Photographers Joining
**Update: Google+ has gathered more than 10 million members, according to independent analyst
Google+ is indeed providing a wonderful approach to social networking with its fresh new tools such as multi-video conferencing, circles, and sparks that have proved to be quite useful or even entertaining.
Unofficial reports suggest that Google's userbase has reached more than 4 million so far, and it doesn't seem that the craze for obtaining an invite and joining internet's newest social platform is going to end anytime soon.
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However, there are some things you should know before joining and if you are a photographer don't let that hype carry you away into joining recklessly.
If you are going to invest years of your comments, time, and invaluable photos then you might as well take a minute to read over some Google's Terms of Service regarding the images you upload to the system.
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.
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.
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.
That's right. The Washingtonpost blog quoted a photographer, Rich Cruse, who shared he wouldn't be joining Google+ because "if I do share images on Google services, under the current terms of service, I will risk genuine harm to my ability to earn income from those images."
So if you are a photographer who makes a living by taking pictures, and you want to join Google+, then make sure you share the pictures that won't harm your business.
Another social platform that has similar terms of service is Twitpic. The terms read:
You retain all ownership rights to Content uploaded to Twitpic. However, by submitting Content to Twitpic, you hereby grant Twitpic a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform the Content in connection with the Service and Twitpic's (and its successors' and affiliates') business, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the Service (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels.
