TechCrunch reports that MySpace is preventing its users from embedding media hosted on competing services : PhotoBucket Videos Blocked on MySpace: “This is turning into a habit for MySpace, which usually claims bugs, security issues or terms of service violations were the cause of a shut down. In January MySpace mysteriously shut down all Flash widgets on the site for 2.5 hours. An Imeem blockade came next. Vidilife, Stickam and Revver have been permanently banned.”
Also, Wired’s Kevin Paulsen notes: MySpace Sued for Deleting Profile: “A Joplin, Missouri man filed a federal lawsuit last week against MySpace for violating his ‘freedom to use the social networking site in peace.'” The pro se complaint, Mora v. MySpace, is, well, a pro se complaint.
Under the clickwrap terms of service agreement between MySpace and its users, MySpace can summarily delete profiles. Of course, a site owner does face judgment in the court of public opinion for appearing to censor its users for political reasons.
The more interesting qustion is whether MySpace has any obligation to third party beneficiaries (like PhotoBucket, Revver and YouTube) who have no contractual relationship with MySpace?
It’s MySpace and I’ll cry if I want to
Andrew Raff
@andrewraff