eBay posted an announcement to inform users it was updating its User Agreement and Privacy Policy, effective August 13, 2008, for current members. According to the announcement, most of the updates are minor, but pointed to the "Content" and "Liability" sections.

eBay is rolling out catalogs containing product descriptions to help sellers list items; the User agreement states that eBay "cannot promise that the catalogs will always be accurate and up-to-date. If you choose to include catalog content in your listings, you will be responsible for ensuring that your listings are accurate and do not include misleading information. You agree that you will not hold our catalog providers responsible for inaccuracies in their catalogs."

In the Liability section of the User Agreement, eBay states it is not a traditional auctioneer and is not involved in the actual transaction between buyers and sellers. "We do not transfer legal ownership of items from the seller to the buyer." It also states, "Unless the buyer and the seller agree otherwise, the buyer will become the item's lawful owner upon physical receipt of the item from the seller." Update: a reader points out these parts of the Liability section are not new.

eBay also pointed to the Privacy Policy's "Disclosure" section, which outlines with whom eBay may share members' personal information, such as eBay properties (PayPal, Skype, Shopping.com, for example); service providers; "other third parties to whom you explicitly ask us to send your information"; law enforcement officials or other governmental officials; and eBay VeRO participants.

Interestingly, eBay said it may share member information with "other business entities, should we plan to merge with or be acquired by that business entity."

The User Agreement and Privacy Policy are linked to from the Announcement Board post.