Steemit.com TOS and privacy update and i took the time to read through it, some thoughts.

So last timei refreshed the steemit page i was met with a window informing me about updated Terms of Service and privacy statements to accept in order to continu using steemit.com. And decided to actually read them for once. And found some stuff worth commenting and some funny declarations.

Terms of Service: (Last Updated June 15, 2018)

13. Suspension or Termination of Service.

quote
13.1. We may suspend or terminate your access to the Services in our sole discretion, immediately and without prior notice, and delete or deactivate your steemit.com account and all related information and files in such without cost to you, including, for instance, if you breach any term of this Agreement. In the event of termination, your access to the funds in your account will require you access to the Steem blockchain via the command line API or third party tool, and will require you to have access to your backup of your Account data including your Account and Private Keys.

Now this part is a little unclear as to what "your account data" is and how to get it. As I asumed that your account data and information mostly was contained on the blockchain and you only needed the private key to access it. Adn steemit.com was only the interface to display it to you.
Wel there was some mention of this is the comments of an article from steemitblog about it where it was mentioned alternative services to access hte blockchain; Busy.org and SteemConnect. But I have yet to look into them.

14. User Conduct

quote
14.1. When accessing or using the Services, you agree that you will not commit any unlawful act, and that you are solely responsible for
your conduct while using our Services. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you agree that you will not:
14.1.2. Use our Services to pay for, support or otherwise engage in any activity prohibited by law, including, but not limited to
illegal gambling, fraud, money-laundering, or terrorist financing activities.

This is the one point of weakeness to steemit when using steemit.com. As this can be used tot he same degree as can with facebook, to attack accounts being used to post on steemit via steemit.com to stop information. But then if there is, as written above, alternatives to access the content and post content, then it will not truly be prevented solong as the blockchain persists.

The next to I thinkis just funny that is added to the end of these sections, and shows the hypocracy of laws and control structures:

17. Disclaimers

quote
Some jurisdictions do not allow the disclaimer of implied terms in contracts with consumers, so some or all of the disclaimers in this Section may not apply to you.

18. Limitation of liability

quote
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some or all of the exclusions and limitations in this Section may not apply to you.

Then there is section 20 that is interesting that they added, thats basically saying that : "we do not accept any lawsuit, any lawsuit is a breach of terms of service. Disputes are to be arbittred by one of more assigned arbiters in a new Yourk court."
In addition in part 21, its stated that steemit.com uses New your laws only for any conclict that arises from part 20.

So you could basically conclude that steemit.com dont take any responsability for the use of its service, that you, the user, hold all the responsability for the use of the service, even if the service may malfunction. With expection to what laws may be in place.

Privacy policy: (Effective: May 25, 2018)

In the introduction to the privacy policy it is stated: quote
When we refer to “Steemit”, we mean the Steemit entity that acts as the controller of your information.

"Your information" cematically is all of the information regarding you and that you have in your head. So in that way its inherently inagreeable as they cannot know not control that. But I assume the meaning is "your information in regards to the use of this service" So they should have added that.

It also explains that quote
Why do we use Cookies?
-To track site usage so we can improve our site & better understand how people are using it
-To better understand the interests of our customers and our website visitors.

This is what is a little iffy. As this is strictly not needed from my perspective, and can be very much miss used. And to an extent it indirectly brakes theyre own terms of service where they claim that they do not sell "your information" (user information). But indirectly they do because its also stated that quote
*We also use functional Cookies and Cookies from third parties for analysis and marketing purposes. Advertising Cookies assist in delivering ads to relevant audiences and having our ads appear at the top of search results. *

SO indirectly they are using user information to direct adds to users, and ion that way selling the user information to advertisers. if not directly, if they communicate who will get the adds to the advertisers.

Just some things that I thought was worth noting in the TOS and Privacy statements of steemit.com.