Changes to Ning Terms of Service

[Eric Suesz]

We have updated our TOS and I wanted to include that information here for Creators. This is from the Ning Blog. - E

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Today, I want to let you know about some changes we’ve made to our Terms of Service and supporting terms to reflect the launch of our new service. A number of these changes have been long requested by Network Creators who desire more control over their members’ online experience. These changes are designed to deliver more freedom and control to Network Creators and to enhance the experience of all users of the Ning platform.

Highlights of the major changes include:

• It’s your network: A central premise from the very beginning of our company has been that Ning is an online service provider and that these are your networks. You have the freedom to create and control the content and members on your networks. We have revised our terms to further reflect this central premise and to clarify that it is the Network Creator’s responsibility to manage their networks and members. In keeping with this concept, the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy will no longer persist in the footer of your network. Rather, each network will now have a general set of terms. Soon, Network Creators will be able to customize it to suit their network’s particular design and focus.

• It’s your data: Along these same lines, we have further clarified that Network Creators have control over and access to all data associated with their networks, including registration information, profile data, answers to network profile questions, all content and other information contributed by members, and statistical information and analytics relating to usage and interactions within the network.

• Help is at your fingertips: We have created a Safety and Policy Resource Center for Network Creators to help you avoid safety or security issues with your members or address any issues that might arise. For all other questions or issues, you can continue to find helpful articles and resources in our Help Center.

• No more nudity: We will no longer permit nudity of any kind on the Ning platform. A little over a year and a half ago, we prohibited the upload of adult content and pornography to the Ning platform. At the time, we said that nudity that wasn’t adult in nature would still be allowed. Unfortunately, many of the issues that caused us to stop supporting adult content in the first place are still arising on networks that post content with nudity. We believe that the implementation of this policy will further reduce abuse on the Ning platform and will create a clean, well-lit environment for Network Creators as well as the advertisers and partners you choose to work with. Network Creators and members will have thirty days (until August 20th) to remove any nudity they may have uploaded to the Ning Platform prior to today or to transition their networks off of the platform.

You can find all of our terms and policies here.

Thanks for using the Ning platform to create your networks, and please let us know if you have any questions via the Help Center!

[Vouthynar Sovann]

I am highly against this non nudity policy. There seems to be a conflict of interest here. We pay for usage of the organization of Ning, but we are in control. I would say to rectify this, Ning should say NO NUDITY on any public places, such as the main page.

"Network Creators have control over..." except nudity... O.o While my site has very little to no nudity, I allowed it so as long as it was not in a public place. Since I made the site private, to only those I accept, and plainly announced this possibility on the main page...I think we should be able to have Nudity. Take our money AND take the control toward the mission of our own sites? Hmmm

[Andrew Rutledge]

So by my inbox there should be about 10 pages of coments here, I can understand that some may have been a little to heated & maybe vulgar, but not that many, so & I know from what I have read that many aren't happy, & on this mater it is best to be civil. Now can any one tell me why the title of this blog says " It's Your Network & Your Data Content" from what I have read through all these post & the blog it's self we do not have. I am not new to this or Ning but in truth they have one of the best networks out there. All everyone here & those who are not here want to know is what are we signing up for, what are the new policy's so we can conform or chose to move on, tthat is all that any one wants to know right now. I agree w/ alot of people & as a site owner this does scare me, because all it takes is one member to add something & we could lose our site if we don't catch it, & it is hard to ccatch it if they leave coments because every member has the abilty to hide there activity, so what are we to do about that? & If someone has the new rules & policy for the network set up can you please post them or email them to me Ty, & sorry for takeu=ing up your time.

[The Wizard.]

its your network but no more nudity? this will kill my artistic website. i've stuck with ning through policy change after policy change..all the while as a premium NC. Now, that things appeared to be getting more stable, you ban all nudity. my site is artistic and has some art nudity. this new rule will kill my site.

[Mrs. Peel]

Look the reality is we all know the deal. All of our comments will fall once again on deaf ears. Ning doesn't care. Nevermind that the once 2 mil sites under the Ning Umbrella are what made Ning what it is. We gave comments before when Ning decided to change the terms of our agreements to include paying sites only. They didn't listen to a damn word we said then and probably won't now.

As I see it we are entering into a contract with Ning. We will be paying for our sites and Ning has their rules..normal in a contract. But to be vague and not define those terms is poor business. I do not agree with the no nudity policy as it stands. It is too vague. I agree with Brother Richard in that Ning needs to define nudity. Everyone's definition and perception of nudity is different not just in this country but in a cultural perspective as well. I'll give an example, if I have a picture of a woman who is holding a candle, she is photographed from the waits up and her back is turned toward the viewer, we cannot see her breasts, yet she is nude. Does this picture count as a violation and if so why? I can go anywhere and see a nude back especially during summer. Or if themodel is fully photographed but with shadowing and posture you can this time see her whole body yet not her rear end or front as she is also facing away..is this a violation? If so, come on!

Here's what I think is going on..Ning makes their little vague rules, we pay, they go looking for violation, find one and then we are locked out of our own site. They get to keep the money when we cry foul because we agreed to their "TOS". That's what I see happening. Never mind that there are truly adult oriented, vulgar pickup sites on Ning platform..no don't single them out. So what next? Andrew is right, do we start to worry about what we say. I mean we do OWN our site, content, etc according to the lovely TOS, we don't need to worry about being monitored or possibly having our free speech reigned in...do we? I think we should all worry.

So there are my two cents..basically we're screwed. We will have to comply and take our chances on what may or may not be in violation because NING won't listen, they don't care as long as they get paid, and it benefits them to have us all confused and in the dark.

[Donna Mac]

What about the HELP link at the bottom of the pages that go directly to NING? Is that going to remain there? Or is the NC the only one who can see it? Shouldn't the HELP be a direct communication with the NC and not NING? This would still not be white label if help goes to NING. Please advise. Thanks.

[Eric Suesz]

This isn't on topic and has been covered many times before. You're the only one who can see that help link, Madam President. Not your members. It's help for *you* when you need help.