Add note about legal issues when using gTTS in public or commercial projects

[fquirin]

gTTS uses an API that is meant to be used on the Google Translate website and thus the Terms-of-Services of this website apply. The ToS for Google Translate just refers to a very common document stating that content created on the pages is property of Google (if Google doesn't license the content from someone else): https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en#toc-content .

There is also some info about automated queries to Google services which refers to Google Search in specific but might apply here as well stating "Google's Terms of Service do not allow the sending of automated queries of any sort to our system without express permission in advance from Google".

It is hard to say what Google will allow you to do with TTS audio files generated via this API but I think it's pretty safe to say they will not allow you to commercialize them especially when they have an official TTS service that charges money!

I know it is tempting to use such a service because it has a very high quality, is super fast and free but users should know the risks and understand that they are working in a legal gray area and should always ask for Googles permission first.

That's why I propose to put a note either next to or inside the LICENSE file about the risks. Currently people who don't understand the background simply see the MIT license and think they are fine.

[pndurette]

Hi @fquirin

Absolutely. Thanks for all your research on the matter. I've added last year a disclaimer that the upstream could change at any time, but there's definitely more to add to it (to protect myself and anyone who uses this, that there's some ground for fair usage).

I've been telling over the years on a person-to-person basis that this should never be used for anything production and even less commercial, because it's just floating in unknowns (and is in a very legal grey area as you put it).

I will definitely prioritize this.

[fquirin]

Great :-).
Personally I think it's a typical Google trap 😆 distracting you from finding (or building) a serious, "open" alternative because its just too convenient to use ^^.