Why I’m Not Putting My Blog on Kindle…Yet

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I’ll admit it. I’m intrigued by the idea that tons of people might read my blog on their little portable Kindle devices, now that Amazon.com generously offers to publish blogs (for free!). It’s a potent thought to consider how many new readers and untapped sources of potential income might just be waiting for a blog like mine. I feel like I’m channeling my inner Homer Simpson when I think about it – “MMMMMMM. Blog Readers.” (You know, instead of donuts.)

Amazon can take your words

How you might feel after reading this post.

But it’s just like Amazon to make something incredibly seductive and yummy, only to put a few well-placed shards of glass right where you’ll take a big bite.

According to Internet attorney Mike Young, Amazon has included language in its Terms of Service agreement that gives it complete control over your blog content once you publish it on Kindle.

Whoa Nelly!

Really? Amazon thinks it can take a blogger’s hard work and use it, edit it and publish it without attribution or payment to the author? Apparently so. And if you’ve put your blog on Kindle, you may have unknowingly agreed to this.

I’m not an alarmist by nature, but this is something to sit up and take notice of. Remember, this is your intellectual property you’re giving away. As Mike states in this blog post, “If you’re running a non-profit blog where you’re looking for donors for your favorite charity, this could be a good fit because more readers equals more potential donors. However, if your blog is part of your business model, giving Amazon permission to . . . become your competitor using your own content may not make the most sense.”

Good point. Do you really want to compete with Amazon as they use your own words as weapons against you?

I may not be an alarmist, but I am pragmatic. If this is true, I wanted to read it for myself. So I emailed Mike and received a nice response from his assistant Jennifer, along with this link: https://kindlepublishing.amazon.com/vendor/members/kindle-blogs/static/terms-and-conditions.html with the instruction to pay particular attention to the “Grant of Rights” area. Here’s the part that got me:

5.5 Grant of Rights. You hereby grant to each Amazon party, throughout the term of this Agreement, a nonexclusive, worldwide right and license to distribute Publications as described herein, directly and through third-party distributors, in all digital formats by all digital distribution means available, such right to include, without limitation, the right to: (e) use, reproduce, adapt, modify, and create derivative works of and use and distribute, as we determine appropriate, in our sole discretion, any metadata that you provide in connection with Publications;

So, based on this, you publish your blog with Amazon at the risk of seeing your intellectual property elsewhere without your permission, any attribution and any recourse. I’m not certain that’s worth the risk to my business or my reputation.

The lesson for all of us is twofold:

  1. Be sure to read and understand the Terms of Service of any agreement (online or otherwise) you decide to enter into.
  2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I think I’ll wait to put my blog on Kindle. Until blog owners take a stand and confront such blatant thievery, Amazon will continue to do as it pleases with tacit agreement from the blogging community. If this means my blog isn’t exposed as much as it could be, I’m okay with that.

I’d also like to put a plug in for Mike Young (and I get nothing from this except warm fuzzies knowing I’m passing along a credible resource). Mike spends his days mucking around the Internet and championing for individuals and businesses that do business there. You can learn more about him at his website: http://mikeyounglaw.com/internet-lawyer/.


55 Responses to “Why I’m Not Putting My Blog on Kindle…Yet”

  1. Vanessa
    Twitter:
    says:
    May 7, 2011 at 4:49 pm

    Despite my love of many things on the internet (& computers in general) I’m a book reader, so it was only the other day I found out that blogs can go on Kindle. But personally, not at this price. I understand that it’s free, so maybe Amazon think this is an appropriate price, but I’d rather pay and keep my IP under control.
    Vanessa recently posted..Review – Menda Ultimate Travel Sports towelsMy Profile

  2. Cathy Kennedy says:
    March 2, 2011 at 9:12 am

    Very good information to know. Thanks a heap! Today, I linked your post on my blog so others can be made aware of this. I’m curious, do you know how they are with publishing your book? I know this is a free service, as well.

    ~Cathy Kennedy, Children’s Author
    The Tale of Ole Green Eyes

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      March 2, 2011 at 9:34 am

      Cathy, I think book publishing is different. There were references to it in the other comments here. From what I could glean, it’s not a problem. Thank you for linking this on your site! Much appreciated!

  3. Connie Ragen Green says:
    February 20, 2011 at 11:37 am

    I just want to make sure everyone understands that this is not a new opportunity. I added my blog to Kindle when this was first available, in May of 2009. The feedback and results have been 100% positive during all of this time. Whereas I do appreciate you keeping us abreast of any changes to the fine print, we must not be gripped with fear when it comes to publishing our intellectual property on the Internet. Successful people will continue to publish in this way, so move forward and do not allow this to be an excuse for not taking action. As far as using Amazon’s Create Space for publishing, again, their restrictions are not any different from the traditional publishers, and you also retail control over your electronic distribution rights, something the traditionals and vanity presses may not allow.

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 2:26 pm

      Connie, I’m glad you’re adding your voice to this conversation. The Kindle opportunity HAS been made out to be “a new thing.” Clearly, it’s not. And you’re right – people need to be willing to take acceptable risks (however they define them) with their intellectual property. This discussion is a worthy one – I do believe people should know what they’re giving away. My post was simply expressing my opinion about what I’m doing right now. Does this mean I’ll never change my mind? Unlikely. I’m a woman. :) However, making an informed choice is better (in my opinion) than not knowing the risks.

  4. Connie Ragen Green says:
    February 20, 2011 at 12:50 am

    Thanks for the info, but I’m keeping mine on Kindle. All of my content there is also published on EzineArticles, so I have already given my permission for it to be distributed worldwide. I get so many leads from both Kindle and EzineArticles, and many of them turn into excellent prospects and clients. I am happy to share everything I know with anyone who wants to learn from me. My income increases each month, as it has since I came online in 2006. I am thrilled at the opportunity all of this continues to provide.

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 9:43 am

      Connie, an informed decision is the best one. I agree that the worldwide distribution is a good thing. The issue I have with what’s going on with Amazon is their use of the materials published on Kindle for whatever purpose. Thank you for stopping by to share your thoughts – much appreciated!

  5. Yvonne A Jones
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    Lis, Thanks for sharing this very enlightening information. I’d not added my blog yet, but was seriously thinking about making it available on Kindle,so this is very timely. I’m personally bad about reading the fine print so truly appreciate you and the information you received from Mike.

  6. Roy A. Ackerman, PhD, EA
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 10:16 pm

    Wow. Thank you. I was considering this since someone told me about it and said it would be a good idea. NOT.
    Again, thank you!

  7. Melanie Kissell
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 8:25 pm

    Here’s a piece of good news …

    “Your blog has been marked for removal. The removal will take effect in 48-72 hours.”

    It was a simple, clear-cut process to remove my blog from Kindle. I’m happy I didn’t have a ton of hoops to jump through.

    Thanks again to you and Mike for a vital chucnk of butt-saving advice!

  8. Terri Zwierzynski says:
    February 19, 2011 at 8:03 pm

    Thanks for the heads up on this…I’ve removed my blog from Kindle too.

  9. Jeanine
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 7:05 pm

    Yikes!! I already published my blog on Kindle after seeing Michele’s post & her video tutorial on how to do it.

    Perhaps I better go see if I can grab it back!

    Jeanine

  10. Fiona Bosticky
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 6:22 pm

    Hi Lisbeth

    This is an amazing piece of info. I still think only US residents can actually post their blogs on Kindle, but this is a huge risk in doing so. Thanks for pointing this out.

  11. Nancy Hand says:
    February 19, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    That’s why you read the fine print! Yes, it can be tedious but it can also save your butt!

    I agree with the Borg comments – too funny! Don’t mess with my IP!

    :-)
    Nancy

  12. Angela Atkinson
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 5:05 pm

    WOW! Thanks so much for sharing this information. I was considering putting several of my blogs on Kindle, but I’ll definitely be rethinking that idea.

  13. Martha Giffen
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    This is the most interesting and informative post I’ve read in a while. Although I haven’t put my blog on Amazon, I HAD made a decision to use their CreateSpace to publish my new book. I am going now to take another look at the TOS on that project. Thanks a million!

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 9:51 am

      Martha, I love all the comments on this post, but yours made my day. I’m glad it gave you pause for thought. Thanks for coming by. :)

  14. Melanie Kissell
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 3:43 pm

    Ouch. My blog is already published on Kindle. Time to do some back peddling and see if I can yank the rug out from under Amazon and take back my property.

    Huge eye-opener, Lis — thanks for looking out for your fellow bloggers. Great to know you’re on our side. :)

    I decided to publish on Kindle after reading Michele Scism’s post and watching her video tutorial where she took everyone, step by step, through the registration process. I hope she catches your post.

    This is an invaluable lesson and a wake-up call to be a lot more cautious in the future.

    You Shine!

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 9:52 am

      Melanie, my pleasure. I just couldn’t NOT publish this information once I knew about it. I know not everyone will agree with what I’ve written and people can still publish to Kindle if they want to – but better to know what you’re getting into than not. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!

  15. Michele Scism
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    Wow! Thanks Lis. I have been one who is a huge supporter of putting your blog on Kindle. Now I am going to have to rethink that. Thanks for sharing Mike as a resource – I will be following him too. Michele

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 9:54 am

      Michele, given the other big names who are promoting this, too, it’s easy to see how everyone could have missed this. Now at least you can caveat your recommendation so you’re giving your followers even more complete information. Thank you for taking the time to comment!

  16. John Soares
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2011 at 11:10 am

    Lis, this is very important post. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I wasn’t even aware that Amazon was publishing blogs on the Kindle, but that language is very, very scary.

    I’ve also read elsewhere over the last couple of years about Amazon asking for too many rights from people who want to use their self-publishing platform.

    Retweeting…

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 9:55 am

      John, I can’t speak for what else Amazon is doing, but I’m glad you found this post helpful and informative. That’s always my goal. Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to post a comment!

  17. Lynn Dorman, Ph.D.
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    Thanks for pointing this out via Mike. I have a law degree but even before that I learned to read the fine print [call me a cynical NYer :-) ] Too many sites have that kind of language – so if you post with them – you are giving away rights to your own words/pictures/etc.

    It may look boring – but always read the fine print – it’s buried and often in small font because they want you to not read it!

    Again thanks

    Lynn

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 10:09 am

      Lynn, thanks for the chuckle, you cynical New Yorker. :) Your advice is sound – how many times do we hear “read the fine print?” Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my post!

  18. Patti Waterbury
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    Lis, thanks for drawing us a picture and then explaining it. Kudos to Mike too! I appreciate your efforts to reduce our blind side!

  19. cole says:
    February 18, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    Amazon should have been named the Borg. Companies like this are like shopping malls where everything looks alike–no uniqueness, no independence. They draw everything into one warehouse and then charge rents most can’t afford and drive out surrounding small businesses. There is nothing new under the Sun.

    Now you should go take a look at Gobble’s…I mean Google terms of service and policies (Take Kleenex and an attorney to translate Lol). The goal of these large online companies has always been to gobble up everything and get embarrassingly rich from the illusions they’ve created.

    In the mean time we give away rights, privacy and the only thing that sets each of us apart–our individuality. Thanks for this post.

  20. Denise says:
    February 18, 2011 at 11:46 am

    WOW! I am one of those people who just clicks AGREE and moves on. I won’t be doing that anymore…I WILL read all that “garbly gook”! How appalling…no thanks Amazon…I like having control of what I say!
    denise

  21. Catherine Bruns says:
    February 18, 2011 at 11:38 am

    Great info. I didn’t know this and most of the time bypass the fine print. Reminds me that I need to be responsible for understanding my choices. And I think I’ll hold on to my blog for a while.

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 10:15 am

      Catherine, you’re not alone in not reading the fine print. I’ve taken to skimming it, but it’s easy to miss something when you read that quickly. I like your comment about being responsible. That’s truly what it comes down to – being responsible for our choices. If we don’t take the time to read the fine print, we can’t complain about the outcome. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

  22. Deb Augur
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2011 at 11:23 am

    Hi Lis,

    Thanks for going the extra mile and sending an email to Mike Young to get specifics (and following up on them).

    Hmmm… seems that it’s becoming more and more difficult to stay up with all the legalese and protect ourselves and our own content. You’ve not only brought our attention to this but you also brought clarity to the subject. Much appreciated!

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 10:17 am

      Deb, thanks for your comment. I can’t be an alarmist-type without some proof that people really need to take notice. Emailing Mike was just a part of the puzzle. Now, if he hadn’t responded, I would have dug into the issue myself. While I’m not an attorney, I think most people would have picked up on the Grant of Rights issue without understanding all the legal-speak. I’m glad this was helpful for you (and so many others). :)

  23. Jeannine says:
    February 18, 2011 at 10:52 am

    Thanks, Lis – Great information! I have enough people copying my intellectual property – no thanks, Amazon! :)

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 10:18 am

      Jeannine, glad you found this helpful! Yes, we all work hard at our respective crafts – to have someone want to take our words as their own – fuhgettaboutit. :)

  24. Trista
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2011 at 10:29 am

    Thanks for looking out for us! No one reads that fine print, and now we know we should.

  25. Kim Smith
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2011 at 10:05 am

    wow…just…wow…

    This is ridiculously scary. How can the people at Amazon sleep at night? Thank you so much for exposing this!

    • Lisbeth Tanz
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 20, 2011 at 10:21 am

      Kim, good question about how can they sleep at night. Probably because this practice is more prevalent than we’d like to think. Thanks for reading my post and commenting!

  26. Danielle McGaw
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2011 at 9:53 am

    Wow – that is something to seriously pay attention to! Thanks for bringing this out Lisbeth!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. » The Kindle Conundrum Continues says:
    February 21, 2011 at 9:49 am

    [...] I hadn’t planned on doing a “Part 2″ to the Why I’m Not Putting My Blog Post on Kindle . . . Yet post, but I felt some clarification was in order about exactly what you give away as a blogger by [...]

  2. Tweets that mention » Why I’m Not Putting My Blog on Kindle…Yet -- Topsy.com says:
    February 18, 2011 at 10:58 am

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Lisbeth Tanz, Suzanne Wesley. Suzanne Wesley said: http://www.yourwordsyourvoice.com/why-im-not-putting-my-blog-on-kindle-yet/ [...]



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