Terms and Conditions of a Service are a set of rules and guidelines that a user must agree to in order to use a website or mobile app. It acts as a legal contract between the companies which provide software or services, such as browsers, search engines, social media, and transport service and the user who wants to access the information. All too often consumers are inundated with wordy and lengthy terms of service that would take hours to read. While consumers are encouraged to read the full document before accepting Service Terms and Conditions, below are a few key tips to look and read thoroughly before accepting the terms and conditions.

• Carefully read sections in bold and/or capital letters.
• Search for key words such as “third party” or “affiliate” to see whether or not your information will be shared and/or how it will be used.
• Look for “opt-out” in the terms and conditions to see whether you have the option not to participate.
• Research the “Using of Service” section on how you can or cannot use the service.
• Check “Your Content in Our Services” which will detail what right you have to the content and how the provider can use your content such as photos, videos, music, status updates, etc.
• Search “Other Content” to make sure you are only getting what you want from the download and not additional programs or adware.
• Review the section entitled “Jurisdictional Location” for laws regarding the ownership of the data and whether consumers attempting to recover losses have to litigate in another country.
• Look for any arbitration clauses and what options you have to dispute a claim.
• Review the cancellation policy for fees associated with breaking or canceling the agreement.

Just like a contract, it is important for consumers to read the full terms and conditions of a service so you know all facts before a purchase decision is made.