This slideshow outlines in simple English the key points in Twitter's terms of service and privacy policy.

1. Twitter – Terms of Service &
Privacy Policy Overview
This presentation provides a basic overview of the
social networking and micro-blogging platform.

2. What is twitter?
● Twitter is a web based service that allows users
to post short messages answering the question
“whats happening?” in 140 characters or less.
● Depending on privacy settings, these posts can
then be viewed either by online friends, or
anybody else connected to the internet,
anywhere in the world.

3. What do you get?
● Twitter allows you to broadcast your thoughts,
opinions and ideas in 140 character bursts.
● Your tweets (posts) can be delivered to your
internal network, or any internet user with an
internet connection, anywhere around the
world.
● Twitter can be used for personal or business
use – there are endless possibilities!

4. How to sign up?
● Accounts are free, so there is no monetary cost
to sign up.
● To sign up for twitter, simply head to
https://twitter.com/signup.
● To create an account you need to enter in your
full name, desired username, password, email,
agree to the terms of service and privacy policy.
● Don't forget to read the terms of service and
privacy implications!

5. Did you really read the terms of
service and privacy policy?
● TOS are available at: https://twitter.com/tos
● Privacy Policy available at https://twitter.com/privacy
● There are many reasons why people do not read
terms of service and privacy policies before signing up
to a platform:
● Don't understand them – too much jargon
● Don't have the time – too busy
● Don't really care – not interested
● These terms and policies are important!

6. TOS Explained: Copyright
● You own your own tweets (posts)
● You are responsible for your tweets, not twitter.
● You allow twitter to post your tweets.
● Twitter can post your tweets anywhere, and
don't have to pay you for them.
● Twitter can share your tweets with others

7. Implications of use: Copyright
● Copyright notices aren't attached to your
tweets, and if somebody re-posts them, you
can't easily tell if the reproduction is authorised.
● Owning your own tweets does leave you with
legal responsibility for them – if somebody
doesn't like what you've posted, they could take
legal action against you.

8. TOS Explained: Availability
● Twitter can stop providing you or others with a
service temporarily or permanently without prior
notice.
● Twitter reserve the right to reclaim usernames
at their discretion.
● Twitter services are available on an as-is and
as-available basis. There is no recourse
available to you if their service is unavailable

9. Implications of use: Availability
● Twitter reserve the right to take away your
username, and give to somebody else.
● Remember twitter can interrupt or discontinue
their service at any time – one day you may
need a back-up plan!
● If twitter is unavailable and you were relying on
them, too bad! There is no recourse available to
you

10. Privacy Policy Summary
● Twitter can collect personally identifiable
information about you
● Twitter can log your browsing activity on their
platform
● Twitter can sell or share your information with
3rd
parties
● To read the full details, see
https://twitter.com/privacy

11. Implications of use: Privacy
● The information you provide to twitter can be
given to other organisations.
● The information you provide upon sign-up
● The browsing habits that you follow
● The tweets you post
● If you aren't happy with your information being
in the public domain, think twice about signing
up or posting anything to the platform!

12. Additional Links & Information
● http://www.tosback.org/policy.php?pid=9 - The Terms of Service
Tracker provides notification and information of changes to
social networking websites, so you know when Twitter change
their terms of service and privacy policy.
● http://www.privacyrights.org/social-networking-privacy Online
resource providing information on protecting your personal
privacy online, with an emphasis on social networking websites.
● http://twitter.zendesk.com/forums/26257/entries/18311 Twitter
have rules that their users must follow. They are outlined in this
post on their website.