Do we really read Terms and Conditions when joining any online site?
By anuraa32
@anuraa32 (2446)
India
February 20, 2013 7:57am CST
Whenever we join sites the final step of registration is "I agree to Terms and Conditions" We check the box next to it and go ahead with the registration. When they ask if you agree or dont agree they expect you to read through the list of terms and conditions. They dont check if you have actually read it.
But then how many of us actually read the terms and conditions word to word, minutely? Or even more how many of us even open the file to scan it once before just checking the box and accepting the terms and conditions? Why do we end up doing this?
Well where I am concerned, I am a bit lazy and impatient where reading just big list terms and conditions comes up. I just dont have the patience to go through the entire thing. Its just too much effort I used to feel. Is it the right attitude, or are we just putting ourselves up for some drastic consequences!
3 people like this
10 responses
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
20 Feb 13
Not sure about "we" as some people are very good about reading every little detail of a site before joining while others are not.
I'll admit to merely skimming through the guidelines when first signing up, but then going back later and reading through things a bit more thoroughly.
Every once in awhile I go back through the faqs, rules, ect, again. It is important to keep checking because these things can change at any time. Most websites have that thing about "We have the right to change things with out notifying you" so its up to us to be aware.
3 people like this
@youless (112103)
• Guangzhou, China
20 Feb 13
Frankly, I have never read the terms and conditions when I join in any online websites. Since if I want to join a website, I have to obey its rules no matter what they are. So I don't want to waste my time to read it. Since it doesn't mind whether I agree it or not. If I disagree to it, I can't join it.
@lampar (7584)
• United States
20 Feb 13
No, we don't really read terms and conditions when joining on-line site, unless it is only one paragraph or one sentence long, and written with layman language. It is just impossible to read all those paragraph full of legal jargons without getting yourself confuse and refuse to accept the terms. So by not reading it, there is a higher possibility you will accept the terms and conditions before becoming a member. 
2 people like this
@anilhclites (844)
• India
20 Feb 13
Atleast when I join this my lot site, I have not read any terms and conditions but after 2-3 months when I get some notifications from mylot I go through all their terms and conditions. No body reads such terms and condition except when we are signing our Insurance Papers or when anything involves our money. What's your say anuraa32.
2 people like this
@anuraa32 (2446)
• India
20 Feb 13
I agree that where papers that involve our money is concerned we need to really go through the fine print. But then many times people completely believe the agent who comes to get you that insurance or the account or some connection and never end up reading the terms and conditions.
Where online sites are concerned, I remember reading the terms and conditions twice, once when I did my first online transaction of buying a game and second time when I began my online banking. Otherwise I have never read them myself.
1 person likes this
@nitinnair89 (2900)
• India
20 Feb 13
A good point actually. Earlier i used to read it through but now i'm quite used to it so i just skip. Lol
2 people like this
@rahul_2689 (634)
• Hyderabad, India
24 Feb 13
I'm no statistician but can confidently say that most people including me never go through the Terms and Conditions listed while registering on any website. As long as our money or private information is not concerned, I don't see any reason why we should be giving too much attention to the terms. Anyway, people seem to have the same attitude while signing physical documents which are legal or personal in nature with money involved. This can definitely lead to dire consequences and should be avoided at all costs.
@rahul_2689 (634)
• Hyderabad, India
24 Feb 13
Just as typing my response I realized I'm worse than most people on the planet when it comes to reading terms or being sure about not being scammed. I recently bought an insurance policy and shockingly, except the premiums and the amount insured, I don't know anything else about it. Time for some serious introspection.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
23 Feb 13
Thanks for this discussion
I think very few might be reading, i never read.
1 person likes this
@Kementari (138)
• Canada
10 Apr 13
This is me as well. I never read the Terms and Conditions of sites... because in all honesty... they are too long. I do not have the time to sit through and read pages of technical jargon about how I cannot do this, and I agree to that. I wish T&Cs were a little more user friendly, but unfortunately they are the way they are so that when people do violate them it is easy for the site owner to say... you violated this section of this, etc.
Too lazy... I just want to get to work, or sign up... I think a lot of people are this way.
