Microsoft is amending Skype's terms of use and privacy policy from 1 August so that the calling app's policies match those of other companies in the Microsoft stable.
The software giant bought Skype towards the end of 2011 for $8.5 billion; an amount that, at the time, was seen as overpriced as the deal was worth 25 times Skype's operating profit, and about four times its actual value.
Microsoft said, in an alert to Skype users this week, it was "making life a little easier for everyone" using its services, such as Outlook.com for e-mail, Bing, Xbox and Office 365. It is bringing its consumer services together under a single Microsoft services agreement and a consolidated Microsoft privacy statement. The changes do not affect its business offerings, it notes.
The company explains anyone who continues to use Skype after 1 August will automatically be bound by the new terms and conditions. Should users disagree with the changes, "simply discontinue using Skype or cancel your subscription before then".
Microsoft also cautions that parents or guardians are responsible for their child's or teenager's use of Skype, including purchases.
The highlights of the changes are:
Simplicity:
Microsoft explains, to make it easier to use multiple services, it has brought together a variety of privacy and service documents into a single services agreement and a consolidated privacy statement that cover most of its consumer services.
Privacy:
The company adds its "longstanding commitment to privacy has not changed". It notes: "We remain dedicated to protecting your data, being clear about how we use it, and putting you in control. For example, we do not use the contents of your e-mail, chat, video calls, documents, photos, or voice messages to target advertising to you."
Microsoft is also offering a range of tools that enable users to make decisions about what data it collects. It has launched a new privacy dashboard to enable users to make choices about how it uses data.
Transparency:
Microsoft says it is using straightforward language so its terms of use and privacy statement are easier to understand. "We've put key privacy information all in one place, so you no longer have to jump between several documents to understand the big picture."
The software giant also noted it will continue to provide service-specific details to allow users to make informed choices about using its services. "We've also added some additional privacy information about new features and functionality we'll soon roll out, like those you'll see on Windows 10."
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