Just wrote to AllRecipes.com

I am trying to wean myself from using a professional cook to make my meals. I decided to join AllRecipes.com as one step in the process of preparing myself for this transition.

So things have seemed pretty cool the last couple of days.

And then I thought I would post my personal photo to my personal profile. I mean, it's a nice thing to do.

But as I was getting ready to submit it, I read the "fine print":

By submitting this photo to Allrecipes.com, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of this web site, including those relating to ownership of the photos you submit.

Uggh! I hate all the legal stuff. But . . . I dutifully scanned the blah-blah-blah until I came to the really important stuff: "Proprietary Rights." They own everything on their site:

Allrecipes or its affiliates or licensors solely and exclusively own all rights, title and interest in all web site materials, including, without limitation, the Allrecipes logo, design, text, copy, graphics, videos, other files, and the selection and arrangement thereof (collectively, “Content”).

The statement is just strong enough, I wondered: Are they claiming to own everything I submit as well? Like my photo?

I kept scanning until I hit "Submissions."

That's when I wrote my protest:

Whoa!

I was about to "Add Photo" to my personal profile, but . . . You urged me to read the fine print about your privacy policies. . . . which I did.

Are you kidding?

By submitting . . . any recipe, review, photograph, image, video, “favorites” list, comments, feedback, postcards, suggestions, ideas, notes, drawings, concepts, and other information, content or material, or other item (each, a “Submitted Item”) to Allrecipes, . . . you hereby grant to Allrecipes . . . the exclusive right to use, display, publicly perform, modify, reproduce, publish, distribute, make derivative works of, sublicense, and otherwise exploit all such materials on commercial websites, without compensation of any kind to you or any third party.

"EXCLUSIVE RIGHT"?!?!

So I may no longer display my own photo on a commercial website that I own.

Thanks anyway.

Unbelievable.

They claim "an irrevocable, nonexclusive, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free right and license to . . . commercially and non-commercially exploit your Submitted Items . . . in any manner or medium now existing or hereafter developed (including but not limited to print, film, or electronic storage devices)."

I can understand that.

But an exclusive right for use on commercial websites? Forget it!

I guess it's caveat utilitor: User beware!