AIM Terms of Service

Amy Gahran over on Contentious lit up my world with this information.

AIM Terms of Service: "Although you or the owner of the Content retain ownership of all right, title and interest in Content that you post to any AIM Product, AOL owns all right, title and interest in any compilation, collective work or other derivative work created by AOL using or incorporating this Content. In addition, by posting Content on an AIM Product, you grant AOL, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents and licensees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to reproduce, display, perform, distribute, adapt and promote this Content in any medium. You waive any right to privacy. You waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Content or to be compensated for any such uses."

If you use AIM, you grant AOL unlimited license to take your chat and publish it wherever they like. If you run for office, they can publish your chats. If you discuss a book idea and they publish the book before you do, you're out of luck.

As Amy says STOP USING AIM NOW!