“Apparently losing rights to data and legal recourse is not enough of a reason to inspect online contracts. So how can websites get users to read the fine print?” asks The Guardian. Perhaps individuals will be more inclined to peruse them, if only to help them fall asleep. As Vice reports, the Lazy Data Research (TLDR) Institute has found an unconventional solution for those who don’t read the mind-numbing terms of service for popular social media platforms Instagram and TikTok: they can use them as a bedtime aid, replacing counting sheep. These “Legal Lullabies” can be found on the whimsically named website zzzuckerberg.com, where a voice actor with a smooth, soothing voice reads out the terms of service. While Legal Lullabies may help with sleep, they are not the ideal way to understand how apps like Instagram gather and utilize data. The Instagram version is 51 minutes long, while the TikTok terms of use take around 38 minutes. Although the average user can read faster than the voice actor speaks in legalese, it is no surprise that hardly anyone reads the terms of service for their favorite social media apps. These documents are dense, boring, and lengthy. In the case of Instagram, its terms of use are particularly relevant to photographers, provided that the terms are legally enforceable. Scattered throughout the nearly hour-long “legal lullaby” are some interesting bits of information. For instance, Instagram doesn’t claim ownership of a user’s uploaded content, but it does receive a transferable, non-exclusive license to utilize a user’s content in various ways. When it comes to TikTok’s policies, they are quite intriguing. The company’s information and data collection policy appears to be extensive. In addition to automatically accessing everything a user does on TikTok, including their messages, the terms of use note that automatically collected data includes network information, location information, browsing history, as well as audio and video information within shared content. TikTok may even identify objects and scenery within a video. The app also collects biometric identifiers like faceprints and voiceprints. Reading through the full information policy may raise concerns, but listening to someone read TikTok’s Terms of Service is surprisingly relaxing and not at all terrifying. According to Isak Landaboure Lengholm, one of TLDR’s founders, it is more difficult to comprehend Instagram’s terms of service. “That being said, all of them balance the fine line of being almost understandable and completely incomprehensible at the same time. Occasionally, it’s like you’re stuck in a fever dream,” he explains. It is no surprise that surveys have found that only a small percentage of people actually read terms and conditions. In fact, some studies suggest that the number is as low as 1%. In one case, people even agreed to terms of service that stated they would hand over the naming rights to their firstborn child. Companies have even hidden prizes in their terms and conditions, with one high school teacher winning $10,000 for reading the terms of a travel insurance policy and emailing the company. The requirements were straightforward, and the insurance company, Squaremouth, matched the prize with a $10,000 contribution to Reading is Fundamental, a children’s literacy charity. The Guardian points out a gag clause in the terms and conditions of a public Wi-Fi service that obligated anyone who agreed to perform 1,000 hours of community service. While these stories may be amusing and not necessarily alarming, they highlight the underlying issue that most people have no idea how their data is collected and used by different apps and platforms. Although major companies like Instagram (Meta) and TikTok (ByteDance) face significant regulatory oversight, smaller companies can engage in questionable practices. (https://petapixel.com/2023/04/27/bereal-owns-your-photos-for-30-years/) TOSDR rates TikTok’s terms and conditions poorly with an “E” grade. Despite these warnings, most individuals still won’t bother to read the terms and conditions. It is understandable, as these documents are so dull that they can literally put people to sleep. However, individuals should at least consult Terms of Service Didn’t Read (TOSDR), an online platform that provides summaries of the terms of service for websites and apps. Both Instagram and TikTok receive terrible “E” grades from the platform. Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
Fall Asleep With ‘Legal Lullabies’: Drifting off While Exploring Social Media Terms of Use
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