Terms of Service; Didn't Read
-
Ian's April Update
by
Ian McGowan
Ratings
Facebook
- - Very broad copyright license on your content
- - Facebook automatically shares your data with many other services
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
- - No pseudonym allowed
- + You can give your feedback before changes
Read the full terms
Google
- - Google keeps your searches and other identifiable user information for an undefined period of time
- - Google can use your content for all their existing and future services
- - Google can share your personal information with other parties
- + Limited copyright license to operate and improve all Google Services
- - Google may stop providing services to you at any time
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Google posts notice of changes, with a 14-day ultimatum.
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
- + Google enables you to get your information out when a service is discontinued
- - Google keeps the rights on your content when you stop using it
- ⋅ Partial archives of their terms are available
- ⋅ Jurisdiction in California
Read the full terms
Yahoo!
- + Yahoo's copyright license for photos, graphics, audio and video limited for purpose
- + Yahoo's copyright license for groups limited for purpose
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - No transparency on law enforcement requests
- ⋅ Your account can be suspended for several reasons
- ⋅ You must provide your legal name upon registration
Read the full terms
Wikipedia
- + You publish your contributions under free licenses
- + You can give comments before changes
- + Wikipedia uses temporary session cookies
Read the full terms
twitter
- + Twitter deletes tracking data in 10 days and offers an opt-out
- - Very broad copyright license on your content
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - Critical changes to the terms with little users' involvement
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
- ⋅ Twitter does not require cookies to function
- ⋅ Twitter provide archives of their terms
- - Third party cookies
- - Twitter deletes your account after 30 days. It keeps the rights on your content.
Read the full terms
Amazon
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - Amazon tracks you on other websites
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - Amazon enables third-party advertisers to target you by default
- - No transparency on law enforcement requests
Read the full terms
Apple
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - No transparency on law enforcement requests
Read the full terms
Flickr
- + Yahoo's copyright license for photos, graphics, audio and video limited for purpose
- + Flickr lets you choose a copyright license
- ⋅ Users are subject to Yahoo!'s terms
- + You can chose with whom you share your photo
Read the full terms
Skype
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- × You cannot delete your account
Read the full terms
SoundCloud
- + You stay in control of your copyright
- + Collected personal data used for limited purposes
- - Indemnification from claims related to your content or your account
- + 6 weeks to review changes
- + Pseudonyms allowed
- + You can terminate your account
- + The terms are easy to read
- - Use of cookies and third-party cookies (opt-out)
- ⋅ Jurisdiction in Germany
- - Personal information can be disclosed in case of business transfer or insolvency
Read the full terms
XING
- - No pseudonym allowed
Read the full terms
GitHub
- + You don't grant any copyright license to github
- - Changes can happen any time, sometimes without notice
- - You shall defend and indemnify GitHub
- + Your personal information is used for limited purposes
- - Your account can be suspended and your data deleted any time for any reason
- + Transparent security practices
- ⋅ You must provide your legal name upon registration
- + GitHub will notify you before transferring your information in the event of a merger or acquisition
- ⋅ GitHub requires cookies
- ⋅ Choice of law: California
Read the full terms
Twitpic
- × Twitpic takes credit for your content
- - Your content is for Twitpic and their partners
- - Reduction of legal period for cause of action
- - You indemnify Twitpic from any claim related to your content
- × Deleted images are not really deleted
- ⋅ Jurisdiction in Delaware
Read the full terms
Delicious
- - Very broad copyright license on your content, includes right for Delicious to distribute through any media
- - Delicious can license your content to third-parties
- × No Right to leave the service
- - Only for personal and non-commercial use
- - Non-transparent use of cookies and third party ads
- - Your personal information are an asset for business transfers
Read the full terms
500px
- × 500px Store: Authorship
- - Waiver of legal actions
- - Terms may be changed at any time, but you will be notified.
- - You are responsible for any claim and agree to indemnify them
- - Broad copyright license
- × 500px Store: your account can be terminated at any time
- + Pseudonyms allowed
- ⋅ Open only to individual photographers and graphic artists
- + The terms are easy to read
Read the full terms
DuckDuckGo
- + No Tracking
App.net
- - You defend, indemnify, and hold app.net harmless in case of a claim related to your use of the service
- - Changes can happen at any time and sometimes without notice.
- + You can delete your content
- - You may not scrape the site
- + Pseudonyms allowed
- ⋅ App.net's terms are simple and easy to follow
- ⋅ App.net request feedback from users
- ⋅ You are responsible for what you upload
- + App.net provide archives of their terms
- ⋅ App.net does not take responsibility for what its users post
- ⋅ Court of law is California
Read the full terms
Steam
- - Defend and indemnify Valve. Survives termination of the agreement.
- + Can request review and/or removal of personally identifiable info.
- - Valve can cancel your account at any time.
- ⋅ No refund policy
- + Notifications 30 days before changes.
- - No transparency on law enforcement requests
- + A user can voluntarily cancel their account at any time.
- - Trial and class action waiver
- + Pseudonyms allowed
- + Your personal information is not shared with third parties for marketing purposes
- ⋅ Jurisdiction: Washington (for non-EU) and Luxembourg.
- - May share aggregate and individual user information with other parties without restriction
Read the full terms
SeenThis
- + You are free to choose your copyright license
- + You can get your data back
- + Right to leave the service
Read the full terms
OwnCube
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - they can remove your account after complaints
- + user data is not sold
Read the full terms
Foursquare
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
Freeforums
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
Cloudant
- + You don't grant any copyright license to Cloudant
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - You shall defend and indemnify Cloudant
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - Cloudant uses third-party cookies
- + Cloudant won't share you data with third parties
- + Cloudant will refund a portion of charges if availability levels are not met
- + Cloudant will provide an exported copy of your data in the event of termination
- ⋅ Hosted data may be temporarily accessed by technical staff
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
- - Cloudant marketing emails are opt-out
- + Cloudant warns you if emergency maintenance is happening
- - Cloudant isn't responsible for any unauthorized access or use of your account
- + Cloudant gives 30 days notice before termination
- ⋅ You canot display the Hosting Platform
- ⋅ Cloudant may share aggregated usage data with partners and third parties
- ⋅ Cloudant transfers hosted and personal info if Cloudant is acquired by another business
- ⋅ No spidering or crawling
- ? You must use your real name to register
- ? You must own or have rights to the data you store
- ⋅ Choice of Law is Massachusetts
- ⋅ Cloudant liability is limited to SLA and correcting the error, if feasible
- ⋅ You must be able to legally sign a binding contract
- ⋅
Read the full terms
Grammarly
- ⋅ No promise to inform about government requests
- - Grammarly usage restrictions
- - Grammarly uses third-party cookies and Google to show ads
- - Grammarly does not notify users before being involved in a merger, sale, or acquisition
- - Grammarly doesn't list pricing packages without signing up
- ⋅ Grammarly's liability is limited to the last 12 months of paid fees
Read the full terms
Instagram
- - Very broad copyright license on your content
- - Terms may be changed at their discretion, but they will notify you before.
allrecipes
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
LinkedIn
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
Loopt
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - No transparency on law enforcement requests
Microsoft
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- × Lawsuit and class action waiver. Arbitration for dispute resolution in the United States
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
Microsoft Store
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
myspace
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
netflix
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - Netflix reserve the right to disclose personal info, no notification.
- - Netflix uses 3rd party advertisers that use tracking cookies to target ads.
- + Users can request access and deletion of personal info.
- - Netflix can terminate your account for any reason without notice.
- - Lawsuit and class action waiver. Arbitration agreement. Survives termination of ToU agreement.
- - No liability is accepted for improper access to your personal information.
- + You can cancel at any time.
- ⋅ Non-personal info can be disclosed in any way.
- ⋅ Terms and privacy policy pages are organized and formatted well.
- ⋅ Personal info is used for advertising.
- ⋅ Cookies are required.
Comcast
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
couchsurfing
- - The copyright license on user data is broader than necessary
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- - Couchsurfing may retain your data after deactivation for legitimate business purposes
- - Couchsurfing keeps the license on your content, even after you close your account
- + Couchsurfing informs you about the fact that you can disable cookies
- - Couchsurfing becomes the owner of ideas you give them
- ⋅ Promotional communications are opt-out
- ⋅ Couchsurfing clearly invites you to contact their volunteer help desk
- ⋅ Couchsurfing will pass your data on to the new company if they enter in a merger
- ⋅ Couchsurfing tracks you
- ⋅ You are not allowed to use a nick name
- ⋅ Couchsurfing may share aggregated or anonymized information that does not directly identify you.
- ⋅ You cannot blame CouchSurfing for disputes you have with other users
- ⋅ Couchsurfing may close your account at their sole discretion
- ⋅ Couchsurfing will censor the content you upload at their sole discretion
- ⋅ You should follow the community guidelines
Sonic.net
- + They delete user logs after 2 weeks
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
Disqus
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
Read the full terms
Spideroak
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
Spotify
- - You grant perpetual license to anything you publish
- - Spotify can delete your account without telling you
- + Spotify states risks of public information
- ⋅ No promise to inform about government requests
- - Spotify may transfer and process your data to somewhere outside of your country
- + Personal data is defined
- ⋅ Spotify doesn't guarantee data security
- + Spotify informs users of changes to the privacy policy
- - Spotify price changes take effect immediately
- - Your data is accessible to trading partners
- + Spotify warns of third party uses
- + Spotify defines intended use of your information
- - Spotify gives no guarantee for quality of service
- + You can unsubscribe at any time
- - Spotify provides limited solutions for software problems
- - Spotify uses third parties
- - Spotify doesn't provide refunds
- ⋅ Spotify may merge your current personal info with more if you participate in a Special Promotion
- ⋅ The ToS are only translated into a few languages
- ⋅ Spotify uses different agreements for special offers and community access
Read the full terms
Dropbox
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - Terms may be changed at any time, but you will be notified.
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
Tumblr
- - Terms may be changed at any time, but you will be notified.
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
Read the full terms
Apple iCloud
- × They can delete any of your data (files, music, messages, etc.) at any time and without notice
Read the full terms
Verizon
- - No promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- - No transparency on law enforcement requests
Wordpress.com
- + Limited copyright license to Wordpress.com including for promotion
- - Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
- + Promise to inform you about data requests from governments
- + Transparency on law enforcement requests
- × You cannot delete your account
World of Warcraft
- × You cannot delete your account
