Editing AOL (section)

=== Terms of Service (TOS) ===
AOL has a detailed set of guidelines and expectations for users on their service, known as the [[Terms of Service]] (TOS, also known as Conditions of Service (COS) in the UK). It is separated into three different sections: ''Member Agreement'', ''Community Guidelines'' and ''Privacy Policy''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AOL terms of service |url=https://help.aol.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102134253/http://help.channels.aol.com/kjump.adp?articleId=221224 |archive-date=November 2, 2007 |website=help.channels.aol.com/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Conditions of Service |url=https://help.aol.co.uk/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501135751/http://help.aol.co.uk/conditions-of-service/article/20060802090809990001 |archive-date=May 1, 2010 |website=help.aol.co.uk/}}</ref> All three agreements are presented to users at time of registration and digital acceptance is achieved when they access the AOL service. During the period when volunteer chat room hosts and board monitors were used, chat room hosts were given a brief online training session and test on Terms of Service violations.

There have been many complaints over rules that govern an AOL user's conduct. Some users disagree with the TOS, citing the guidelines are too strict to follow coupled with the fact the TOS may change without users being made aware. A considerable cause for this was likely due to alleged censorship of user-generated content during the earlier years of growth for AOL.<ref>[http://www.aolwatch.org/censory.htm Aolwatch.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717024229/http://www.aolwatch.org/censory.htm |date=July 17, 2011 }}. Aolwatch.org (July 25, 1996). Retrieved on July 8, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=3912 Thetruthseeker.co.uk<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913005509/http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=3912 |date=September 13, 2010}}, The Truth Seeker – Internet Censorship</ref><ref>[http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/AOLcensorship1.htm Censorship on AOL Late 1998–1999] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701081405/http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/AOLcensorship1.htm |date=July 1, 2010 }}. Fglaysher.com (March 9, 1999). Retrieved on July 8, 2011.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Electronic Frontier Foundation |url=https://www.eff.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706082033/http://w2.eff.org/Censorship/Online_services/?f=aol_secret_tos.manual.txt |archive-date=July 6, 2010 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}</ref>