Google Accepts Corrective Measures for Terms of Service

Google is set to post its revised terms of service on its website in August. (image: Korea Bizwire)

SEJONG, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Google Inc. has corrected some of its terms of service, South Korea’s antitrust regulator said Thursday, in a move to carry out the world’s first corrective recommendation for the U.S. internet giant.

The move came two months after the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said Google should inform its users of changes to its terms and conditions of service in advance if the changes are serious in nature or are detrimental to users.

In March, the FTC claimed that Google’s changes to terms of service, which are effective immediately, cannot ensure that changes addressing new functions for a service or changes made for legal reasons are in users’ favor.

In corrective measures submitted to the commission, Google has said it will give a prior notification to users in case the changes are serious in nature and that changes will take effect 30 days after notification.

Other matters that the commission had disagreed with included users’ comprehensive granting of a transferable license with the right to sub-license to YouTube, a global video streaming service owned by Google.

The regulator also said corrective measures stipulate that Google can use users’ content only for the purpose of running, promoting and improving its service, and Google should give a notification to users without delay about reasons for deleting content.

Google is set to post its revised terms of service on its website in August, according to the commission.

Google said its goal is always to give users transparency and control in their interactions with Google, and it is continually improving the clarity and simplicity of its terms of service and other information about its services.

“We’ve worked with the KFTC to further clarify our terms of service,” Google said in a statement, referring to the commission. “The changes we are making to our terms of service will not result in changes to our current service practice but will help users more easily understand the meaning of such terms with clear examples.”

(Yonhap)