San Francisco, Sep 5
Twitter's new terms of service that apparently allow other companies to re-publish content on its platform without any compensation have sparked widespread online criticism.

The clause that has received flak allows the micro-blogging website to make content that is posted on Twitter "available to other companies, organisations or individuals" who can then re-publish it.

"You agree that this licence includes the right for Twitter to provide, promote, and improve the Services and to make Content submitted to or through the Services available to other companies, organisations or individuals for the syndication, broadcast, distribution, promotion or publication of such content on other media and services, subject to our terms and conditions for such content use," the terms read under "Your Rights" section.

First noticed by a Twitter user Richard de Nooy who called it "grotesque", the clause led to several people retweeting and slamming it, the Independent daily reported.

The clause further reads: "Such additional uses by Twitter, or other companies, organisations or individuals, may be made with no compensation paid to you with respect to the content that you submit, post, transmit or otherwise make available through the services."

The new terms will come into effect for people outside of the US at the end of the month.

Twitter is "showing a pop-up to all affected users that warns them to take a look at the new terms and asks them to agree with them, or delete their account if they don't", the report added.

The terms, however, say that "Twitter respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects users of the services to do the same".

Twitter reacted to this by saying that they regularly review the Terms of Service to make sure they are fit for purpose and offer the clearest possible language for our users.

"We're making very minor changes, mainly around succinctness and clarity, which will come into effect in 30 days, on October 2nd," the company said, adding, this is standard practice for all internet companies involved in the sharing of user-generated material.

Twitter's new terms of service draw online criticism