Google released Google+ Pages for businesses, brands and products this week, and businesses all over the web are scrambling to get theirs ready for prime time.
It’s worth noting that Google has a specific set of terms of service for Google+ pages, so you may do well to take note of these are you’re putting your page together and planning how you use it.
Google notes that these may change from time to time, and encourages Page admins to check back occasionally.
Here are a few takeaways from the terms:
1. Any Google+ user may create a Google+ Page, but only users with authority over the subject matter may administer the Google+ Page.
2. The main admin is responsible for the actions of anyone else that administers the page.
3. You may not sell or lease Google+ Pages without prior authorization from Google.
4. Deletion of your Google+ profile or closure of your Google+ account, will make your Google+ Page no longer accessible.
5. Google reserves the right to restrict the content on your Google+ Page at its discretion.
6. You can’t include terms, conditions or non-Google provided technical restrictions on Google+ Pages unless they’re part of Google’s own terms.
7. Google’s use of data on Pages is in line with the larger Google+ Privacy Policy.
8. You may not do anything to determine the identity of a visitor on your Page without their permission.
9. When collecting info from a visitor, you must first obtain their consent, be clear that you (and not Google) are collecting the info, and you have to post a privacy policy that complies with applicable law.
10. You may not run contests, sweepstakes, offers, coupons or other such promotions directly on your Google+ Page.
Contests and promotions actually have their own policies page (via The Sociable), which says:
You may not run contests, sweepstakes, offers, coupons or other such promotions (“Promotion”) directly on your Google+ Page. You may display a link on your Google+ Page to a separate site where your Promotion is hosted so long as you (and not Google) are solely responsible for your Promotion and for compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations in the jurisdiction(s) where your Promotion is offered or promoted. Your Promotion must not be run or conducted in a way which conflicts with the +1 Button Policies, Google+ Privacy Policy or Google+ Pages Additional Terms of Service. Google has the right to remove your Promotion content from Google+ Page for any reason.
You release Google from any liability associated with your Promotion and you agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Google, its parent corporation, affiliates, officers, directors, employees and agents, from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs or debt, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees) arising from: (i) your use of and access to Google+ Pages for your Promotion; (ii) your violation of any term of these policies; (iii) any violation within your Promotion of any third party right, including without limitation any copyright, property, or privacy right; (iv) any claim from any third party relating to or arising from your Promotion; or (v) any claim that your Promotion violates any law, rule or regulation. This defense and indemnification obligation will survive the termination of the service, changes to these policies and your use of Google+ Pages.
Do you think Google’s terms are fair or are they too limiting? Not limiting enough? Share your thoughts.
