Somewhere along the line, corporations decided that they needed to tack licensing agreements (terms of service) onto just about every product produced. We’ve gotten to the point where we just ignore them and click “Agree” or rip off the little sticker that says something about “by removing this sticker you agree to…. ” blah, blah, blah. Too long; didn’t read (abbreviated “TL;DR”.) The lawyers who write these agreements know we don’t read them. You would not be blamed for believing that they intentionally make these agreements long and hard to read so that we don’t read them.
And yet, does it really matter? When was the last time you looked back and said to yourself “man, I wish I hadn’t clicked ‘Agree’…”. Probably never. That’s because in many cases you’re signing away something you’ll probably never notice: your right to privacy or your right to sue.
Informed Consent
The bottom line, though, is that in order to have a productive debate on these issues, we have to be informed consumers. For market forces to work, we have to be able to easily compare this product with that product, and that should include the legally binding agreements attached to these products and services. And on a deeper level, we also need to be informed citizens so that we can vote for representatives that promise to protect our rights.
To that end, let me introduce you to a cool new web site: ToS;DR (that’s short for “Terms of Service; Didn’t Read”). The site cuts through the lengthy, obfuscating language and summarizes the key elements of these Terms of Service and End User License Agreements. They even have a simple report card grading system to help you quickly assess a given service, though I would still read the individual ratings because each of us will care about different things. You can even help them to keep the ratings up to date.
A Cure for Your Apathy
If you still find yourself unconcerned, then I highly encourage each of you to watch the documentary called Terms and Conditions May Apply (which can be found on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video). You can find more privacy information and links on my Resources page.
Need practical security tips?
Sign up to receive Carey's favorite security tips + the first chapter of his book, Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons.
Don't get caught with your drawbridge down!
