Terms and Conditions.
Terms and conditions have practically become part of our daily lives. Yet when we book and pay for goods and services online, we tend to not read the fine print. A survey conducted by Fairer Finance found that 73% of people admit to not reading the terms and conditions, sometimes called terms of use or terms of service. And only 17% of people who do read the terms actually understand what they’re reading. You may be thinking ‘why do I need to make myself aware of the terms and conditions?’ No big deal, right? Wrong!
Why should you read the terms and conditions? By failing to review the terms and conditions you may be giving up certain rights, and you probably won’t find out until something goes drastically wrong.
Terms and Conditions. Read the Fine Print.
In this article on Terms and Conditions featured on The Guardian quotes UK-based attorney Joanne Lezemore. Ms. Lezemore said: “The advice is simple: always read the terms and conditions of any contract before you sign it. It is really important you understand everything before you sign on the dotted line, as you could find yourself landed with extra fees or charges. While all consumer contracts are subject to the unfair terms in consumer contract regulations, this doesn’t mean you can challenge a clause just because you didn’t know it was there, or you think it’s unfair – because it’s clearly written, you’re bound by it.”
Let’s take, for example, Blink, Inc. This company offers their client’s instant photo shoots from family portraits and profile pics to website, catalogue, and advertising. While Blink, Inc. may have a great concept that many people are drawn to, the company’s terms and conditions should be reviewed carefully and understood completely.
Read the Fine Print.
Taken from their website, the Blink, Inc. terms and conditions are as follows:
By using the Company Properties, you acknowledge and agree that Blink Inc owns all right, title, and interest in any photos (“Blinks”) taken by use of the Services, including all intellectual property and proprietary rights therein. You hereby assign to Blink Inc all right, title, and interest to the Blinks (including all intellectual property and proprietary rights therein), and you hereby waive all moral rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, artist’s rights, rights of integrity, rights of attribution, and all other rights you may have in or related to any of the Blinks (including rights associated with your likeness or image appearing in such Blinks).
You can read more here.
So, while you may believe that you own the rights to the photos taken of you, your family members or pets, this agreement says in a roundabout way that you don’t. This is why it’s imperative to read and understand all agreements before you accept them.
And if you’re overwhelmed by these types of legal agreements, an attorney can always help you navigate through the fine print.
Until next time, I’m Attorney Francine Ward helping you protect what’s yours. Law Facebook Fan Page, Twitter Law Page, Google+, LinkedIn, my new Instagram law page
