Every time the iTunes app store updates its terms and conditions, I have to agree to them before I can download a new app for my iphone.
On the most recent update to the terms, I noticed just now many pages of terms there are.
Really?!? The new terms are covered in 55 pages! Who is ever going to read 55 pages? I appreciate that companies write terms in very detailed legalese to reduce their liabilities and the like, but it seems terribly devoid of transparency. Has anyone in the history of iphones ever read all 55 pages?
I only read the parts about how much they’ll bill me.
I re-notice it every time I have to agree. It seems ridiculous, but it is the society in which we live: litigious.
Perhaps it can change, just check out this TEDtalk:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/alan_siegel_let_s_simplify_legal_jargon.html
The app store ought to employ talented authors to work with their lawyers. If the term of service read like a John Grisham novel then instead of burden, perhaps it would feel like a BONUS that they are 55 pages long!
Oh, btw, hate to keep plugging ted.com, but check out their terms of use (http://www.ted.com/termsofuse/popup) and privacy policy (http://www.ted.com/privacy/popup). Simple.
@ Jim,
To divert down an unrelated path, but ‘hate’ is such a strong word. Did you really mean it?
These really annoy me.. Everytime iTunes decides to update itself I could be signing away my kidneys for all I know..
I know it’s stupid (as they are prob screwing us – facebook privacy changes etc) but I always head for “agree”… Not enough hours in the day
ps. I dare someone to try and read I all:
http://www.apple.com/legal/iTunes/us/terms.html
As a programmer, I can say, that except for trademark and copywrite information, end user license agreements have little or no legal effectiveness. I’m not saying that you should not read them. I’m just saying they are for the software company’s legal protection. So they can’t be sued for certain things.
One of the people I follow on Twitter shared the following link of Richard Dreyfuss doing a dramatic reading of Apple’s terms:
http://www.cnet.com/8301-30976_1-20068778-10348864.html