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Visualizing the Length of the Fine Print, for 14 Popular Apps (and books) (thelemmy.club)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/mildlyinteresting@lemmy.world
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Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/terms-of-service-visualizing-the-length-of-internet-agreements/

Terms of Service: The Length of Common Digital Contracts Do you take the time to read the terms of service before you agree to when downloading the latest app or software?

Of course you do…

The world is awash with apps and internet services that ask potential users to agree to a service agreement. Most people click on ‘agree’ and move on, knowing that reading the service agreements could put them to sleep and defer their favorite internet fix.

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[–] 48 points 5 months ago* (7 children)

Luckily clicking a checkbox is not legally binding with regard to such terms of service.
What is hidden in these terms is of course their abuse of your personal information, which probably is enough for plausible deniability.
But there's a reason these companies are regularly fined in EU, and that is that their practices are often illegal, despite they "allow themselves" to do it by their own terms.

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago (6 children)

    Is their ToS fully legal in the US or are parts of them illegal there too?

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  • [–] 15 points 5 months ago (5 children)

    Do they have more money than you?
    If they do, chances are you would somehow lose in court, and even if you have the spirit of the law on your side.
    I wouldn't bet on consumer protection in USA, and I've seen many TOS documents that were CLEARLY illegal in EU, but legal in USA. But that was back in the 90's where I worked with parallel import of software and hardware from USA.
    We were occasionally contacted because the import of software at way cheaper prices than they were available here in EU, was against the TOS.
    Usually we were not contacted again after my first response to them, that they could shove their American legalese shit where the sun doesn't shine, US law has no bearing in Europe, and the TOS containing just 1 illegal clause invalidates the whole thing here. 🤣 🤣 🤣

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (4 children)

    Thats crazy, i was expecting that just the illegal clauses would be invalid

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago* (3 children)

    Not here, as I understand it, it's pretty general that if a contract has an illegal clause, it invalidates the entire contract. As in it removes other special clauses even if they are legal.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    I've read many contracts which explicitly state that any part being invalidated does not invalidate the remaining parts.

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