Protect yourself, others and content
Protect yourself, others and content
You should be particularly attentive to...
- 1
Copyright
If you are using copyright protected material (material that you are not permittet to copy and pass onto others), you should be particularly cautious of sharing it on platforms. Check the platform's terms of service and its specifications regarding ownership of e.g. what you upload.
For example, the material you find through the library's paid-for digital resources can usually not be transferred to services that apart from managing your request also take over rights.
This is important because a breach of copyright often comes with severe financial consequences for the person, who has violated the rights. The purpose of copyright law is to protect the copyright holder.
- 2
Other perople's personal data
If you process data about people, you should be aware that you are most often either the data controller or a data processor on behalf of others. This means you are responsible for whether a given service can be used to process their personal data.
This involves (a) ensuring there are guarantees and procedures for how data is handled in accordance with GDPR and (b) whether those whose personal data you are processing are aware that their data is being sent to the platform you intend to use.
This is significant because it is a fundamental right under GDPR that we, as individuals, have control over our own data. The individuals who entrust their data to you have not consented to it being shared with, for example, a U.S.-based platform.
- 3
Your own personal data
You should always be aware of how your own data (both your personal information and your prompts) are being used by the platform e.g. for profiling, resale, or other purposes. This applies to both services you pay for and especially those that do not charge money.
- 4
Confidential data, information and knowledge
If you have received material from a company or organization where you have promised to treat the data confidentially, is it acceptable to post this information on a platform where other people or the platform itself have access to it?
This can include technical descriptions, business plans, or other information that the company does not want others to know about. Therefore, it is important to always talk to the company first and clarify whether they agree that you can use this information for analysis on the platform in question.
These aspects are also important when it comes to your own knowledge. Do you need to protect your own ideas, work etc.?
Read the platform terms thoroughly!
When you create a profile on a platform/service, you accept a set of terms. AAU has not currently evaluated the terms of services, except for those made available through support functions like ITS, the University Library, and others.
There are typically several types of terms:
- Terms of use that regulate the use of the service. This typically covers what happens to the material you enter and/or upload, acceptable use, etc.
- Privacy policy that regulates how the service handles your personal information.
Although they may appear as lengthy, complex legal documents, it is crucial that you, as a student, read through the terms of a service! The following is a quote from the terms that were in place for the service ChatPDF. It serves as an example of how services may attempt to claim ownership, etc., over content. The service has since modified its terms, so the text here is solely provided as an example.
When you post Contributions, you grant us a license (including use of your name, trademarks, and logos): By posting any Contributions, you grant us an unrestricted, unlimited, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free, fully-paid, worldwide right, and license to: use, copy, reproduce, distribute, sell, resell, publish, broadcast, retitle, store, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, translate, excerpt (in whole or in part), and exploit your Contributions (including, without limitation, your image, name, and voice) for any purpose, commercial, advertising, or otherwise, to prepare derivative works of, or incorporate into other works, your Contributions, and to sublicense the licenses granted in this section. Our use and distribution may occur in any media formats and through any media channels.
You should always assess the terms of service for a platform/service in addition to copyright rules.