Read this text carefully if you are already a user of ICQ. As an US company they have to include all possible things in their warnings - just to be set free of responsibility. MyNews is a similar program - the same problems might happen.
I hope that the ICQ people dont complain about the appearance of their text on this site - EVERYBODY should know these fundamentals.
MyNews has NOTHING todo with ICQ - this is JUST AN EXAMPLE !
Original text as shown by the ICQ 99b program:
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Please note that the ICQ Software, as with most Internet applications, is vulnerable to various security issues and hence should be considered unsecured. By using the ICQ Software and the Internet in general, you may be subject to various risks, including among others:
- Exposure to objectionable material and/or parties, including
without limitation, contaminated files.
- Unauthorized invasion of your privacy during, or as a result
of, your use or another's use of the system.
- Spoofing, eavesdropping, sniffing, spamming, breaking
passwords, harassment, fraud, forgery, “imposturing”,
electronic trespassing, tampering, hacking, nuking, system
contamination including without limitation use of viruses, worms
and Trojan horses causing unauthorized, damaging or harmful
access and/or retrieval of information and data on your computer
and other forms of activity that may even be considered unlawful.
- Unauthorized exposure of information and material you listed or
sent, on or through the ICQ system including via the ICQ Enhanced
Email Check feature, to other users, the general public or any
other specific entities for which the information and material
was not intended by you.
If you do not wish to be subjected to these risks, you are advised not to use the ICQ Software. Furthermore, please do not use the ICQ Software for "Mission Critical" or "Content Sensitive" applications and purposes. For the purpose of this section "Mission Critical" applications and purposes shall mean applications and use that may result in damage; "Content Sensitive" shall mean any information or data you do not wish to be freely accessible and generally available to Internet users.
Also please note that all plugins for ICQ and especially plugins which were not developed and/or provided by ICQ Inc. may be harmful and may cause extreme damage to your system. By downloading, installing, activating or using any plugin for ICQ, you may be subject to various immediate and long-term risks, including without limitation, the risks provided herein. If you do not wish to be subjected to these risks, you are strongly advised not to download or use any Plugin for ICQ.
For the ICQ Software's terms of service please review the ICQ end-user license agreement, the privacy policy, the acceptable use policy, usage notices, tools notices and any other terms of service document available on or through http://www.icq.com/legal/.
European Union ICQ users understand and consent to the processing of personal information in the United States.