"I have read and agree to the terms of use" - is this lying?
Is it a sin to tick the 'I have read and agree to the terms of use' button when installing software updates, buying goods online, etc. when you haven't actually read them?
Common sense says that reputable software providers and websites aren't suddenly going to slap you with some legal or financial trap in their terms of use.
Most of these sites offer you 10-20 pages of legal terms and conditions, which are almost always obvious (no stealing the programming code, no illegal copying, etc.) and identical to every other 'terms of use' agreement. Also, the way that contract law operates (at least in the UK) anything out of the ordinary or prejudicial in these terms (i.e. if on page 93 they said you have to pay the service provider $1000) would be considered invalid unless it had been flagged up for your attention.
I don't know anyone who actually reads these things before ticking the box.
Could it be argued that this is a case of mental reservation, that what I am really saying is "I have read [enough of the terms or similar terms in the past to know that I want to] agree to the terms of use"?
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Tiber Swim Team '08
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