Monday, April 18, 2005

Armand Versus TOS

John, J-Editor(s),

The "offending" link on my journal was a "pro-bulimia" link - according to Mark Gurmmond at the corporate office.  He called from 703-334-0012.

Fellow Journalers,

I encourage EVERYONE to call Mark Gurmmond (703) 334-0012 or anyone else at the Corporate Office [(703) 265-1000 or -8452] and register your complaints regarding this brand of service.  Further, if you don't see other Journaler's e-mail on the CC line, I encourage you to forward this message to them!

If we don't get the word out and hold AOL accountable, then you are next... and AOL doesn't even have to tell you what they claim you did wrong.  They'll simply yank your journal.

No doubt, it hackles them that I can prove I did NOTHING wrong with the google-cached copy of the entry in question.

The only bulimia related link that appeared on my journal that day is an AOL-WebMD supported link.  This one:  http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw49747.asp  ..  I entered it into comments that you can see on this google cache'd webpage: http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:bJJt7mp5n-UJ:journals.aol.com/armandt/sense/entries/531+ArmandT+Schiavo&hl=en

Mark refused to identify the specific link; however, being the only link - as you can see for yourself - that has anything to do with bulimia, it's clear that the "objectionable" link is a link to AOL's own WebMD service.  The page, by the way, is not pro-bulimia.  It's a medical information page.

I understand AOL Employees can not give your personal opinion.. but it seems rather clear that AOL considers links to its own sites to be TOS Violations.. and it ought to be your jobs to run Un-Common Sense up the ladder when your executives wont listen to it from their paying customers.

Show me the violation or show me my journal.

Regards,

Armand

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG we are dropping like flies.  If you want to see my ordeal just over the weekend, I'l lleaving a link to my Journal I just put back up, since my is gone.  On it I have posted their emails and mine regarding this so called violation of TOS.  So many of us J-Landers, bloggers have been TOS'd just this past weekend.  If you learn of anyone else, please give mne a heads up. I am willing to fight AOL, but I need as much info as possible from everysource I can find.  I think AOL had made some serious mistakes and I'm not going to let this rest.  When you are TOS'd it remains in the records of your account file and stays there for at least 6 mo. SO even one more violation and termination of service permanently.  Dang I paid for this service for YEARS and this is the thanks I get! I put a link to this entry of yours on my journal to show yet another one of us had been TOS'd by AOL.
Lisa
http://journals.aol.com/loveladylisa1/TheNakedTruthADietersNightmare/
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Pro-bulima? What? We have to take a stand on eating disorders now?

Armand, you are a dog with a bone. We thank you.