Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
One of the extremely common questions I get is how to hack into someone else's instant messaging history, or how to recover an IM chat that may, or may not, have been archived.
Those answers vary based on the instant messaging client that you are using. But there's something else recently discovered that's much more disturbing.
AOL has the right to read, and even publish publicly, your private IM conversations.
Yikes.
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As reported recently by Aunty-Spam, the AOL terms of service for AOL Instant Messenger includes this very clear, and very scary phrase: "You waive any right to privacy." It goes on to discuss how AOL may use your instant messages in any way it sees fit, at any time.
Again, I say, Yikes!
Now, I doubt seriously whether AOL is interested in the gushing's of a 13 year old IMing her best friend of the week wondering her boyfriend's really 'all that' or not. But, as I've commented on before, people are using free services for business-critical purposes. Are you using AIM to discuss sensitive, private material? What would happen to you, or your business, if AOL decided that your conversation was a good example to publish on the web for all to see?
All together now: Yikes!
So don't. Personally, I'd run away from AOL Instant Messenger (and ICQ, which is owned by AOL and has the same terms of service) for anything that you wouldn't want the world to see. In a business setting? Using an encrypted, business class IM solution. But run away from the free solutions. As with free email, you're just asking for problems.
Article C2305 - March 14, 2005
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
If you are worried about anyone reading or creating a log of your instant messaging conversations, you can use a private instant messaging program. I am a blogger for Brosix, and they offer a corporate and a free version of their program, which is on secure servers so no one can hack into and save or read your conversations.
Brosix.com
Posted by: Kelsey at February 18, 2009 8:45 AMBrosix Blog
you go to actions, then clear history so ur mom cant read them
Posted by: tors at May 18, 2009 6:32 PMis there a way that you can make your aim logs private
Posted by: lissann at October 30, 2009 8:47 AMUse private IM software with strong encryption to be sure that your conversations and file transfers are safe.
Posted by: bopup.com at January 23, 2010 6:52 AMwww.blabsoft.com
If AOL is the owner of my transcripts, there is a way I could read them online? I mean, can I see my historial without login at AIM server?
Posted by: Lucy at October 30, 2010 9:04 PM