Could Google lay claim to my writings?

Maryn said:

Was the blog open to the public?

My understanding--I'm no lawyer--is that if you've posted work online at a site open to the public, it has been published in the legal sense, and it's unlikely a publisher will want to buy second publishing rights, even if you take it down today. That's why AW is passworded.

What disclaimer, if any, does Google post when you have a blog there? We'd have to see the language to know if they could make a claim.

The odds are hugely in favor that they would not, but whether they could not depends on what you agreed to when you signed up for and used their blogs.

Maryn, who doesn't post WIPs in public

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Google owns the blog, you own the content. If someone else copies the content, you get to prosecute the theft. If someone else copies the content, and publishes it in a Blogger blog, Blogger / Google may remove the content, and / or the account used - if this protects their interests, though not necessarily yours.

You may not sell the URL, nor may you sell access to the content.

http://www.blogger.com/terms.g

"7. No Resale of the Service. Unless expressly authorized in writing by Google, you agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade, resell or exploit for any commercial purposes (a) any portion of the Service, (b) use of the Service, or (c) access to the Service."

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6. Intellectual Property Rights. Google's Intellectual Property Rights. You acknowledge that Google owns all right, title and interest in and to the Service, including all intellectual property rights (the "Google Rights"). Google Rights are protected by U.S. and international intellectual property laws. Accordingly, you agree that you will not copy, reproduce, alter, modify, or create derivative works from the Service. You also agree that you will not use any robot, spider, other automated device, or manual process to monitor or copy any content from the Service. As described immediately below, Google Rights do not include third-party content used as part of the Service, including the content of communications appearing on the Service.

Your Intellectual Property Rights. Google claims no ownership or control over any Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through Google services. You or a third party licensor, as appropriate, retain all patent, trademark and copyright to any Content you submit, post or display on or through Google services and you are responsible for protecting those rights, as appropriate. By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through Google services which are intended to be available to the members of the public, you grant Google a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, publish and distribute such Content on Google services for the purpose of displaying and distributing Google services. Google furthermore reserves the right to refuse to accept, post, display or transmit any Content in its sole discretion.

You represent and warrant that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the rights granted herein to any Content submitted.

You may choose to submit, post, and display any materials on or through the Blogger service or Blogspot.com under a public license (e.g. a Creative Commons license), whether by manually marking your materials as such or using Blogger service tools to do so. For avoidance of doubt, Google is not a party to any such public license between you and any third party. Also, for avoidance of doubt, Google may choose to exercise the rights granted under (a) the public license or licenses, if any, you apply to your materials or (b) this Agreement.

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