Do you read the fine print?
By laglen
@laglen (19759)
United States
April 15, 2010 4:45pm CST
A computer game retailer revealed that it legally owns the souls of thousands of online shoppers, thanks to a clause in the terms and conditions agreed to by online shoppers.
The retailer, British firm GameStation, added the "immortal soul clause" to the contract signed before making any online purchases earlier this month. It states that customers grant the company the right to claim their soul.
"By placing an order via this Web site on the first day of the fourth month of the year 2010 Anno Domini, you agree to grant Us a non transferable option to claim, for now and for ever more, your immortal soul. Should We wish to exercise this option, you agree to surrender your immortal soul, and any claim you may have on it, within 5 (five) working days of receiving written notification from gamesation.co.uk or one of its duly authorised minions."
GameStation's form also points out that "we reserve the right to serve such notice in 6 (six) foot high letters of fire, however we can accept no liability for any loss or damage caused by such an act. If you a) do not believe you have an immortal soul, b) have already given it to another party, or c) do not wish to grant Us such a license, please click the link below to nullify this sub-clause and proceed with your transaction."
The terms of service were updated on April Fool's Day as a gag, but the retailer did so to make a very real point: No one reads the online terms and conditions of shopping, and companies are free to insert whatever language they want into the documents.
While all shoppers during the test were given a simple tick box option to opt out, very few did this, which would have also rewarded them with a £5 voucher, according to news:lite. Due to the number of people who ticked the box, GameStation claims believes as many as 88 percent of people do not read the terms and conditions of a Web site before they make a purchase.
The company noted that it would not be enforcing the ownership rights, and planned to e-mail customers nullifying any claim on their soul.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/15/online-shoppers-unknowingly-sold-souls/?test=latestnews
Kind of a funny joke. What do you think? Do you read the fine print?
2 people like this
9 responses
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I'm guilty. In most cases, I DO NOT read the fine print. In the few cases where I've TRIED to read the fine print, I end up skimming through the pieces of it I find boring or repetitive (of other terms and conditions stuff I've read), reading only the parts I want to read (like how much is this going to cost me). I could have easily been one of those who just sold my soul to some computer game retailer. Now that I know this prank was played, will I read the terms and conditions...probably not. (They need to shorten them and make them read in conversational English!)
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
20 Apr 10
Some time ago I wanted to buy a computer game and I found a site where they had the game that I was looking for. I was pretty impatient and when I got to the terms of service, I just wanted to skip it and move on, but I decided to have a quick look at it, and that turned out to be a good idea. I thought that I was just buying one game, but in their TOS it said that I was going to become a member of their club and that they would send me a new game every month, and I would have to pay a certain amount of money each month. I deleted my account immediately and left the site. Since that time I have become more careful...and I always read the fine print 
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
17 Apr 10
LMFAO that's hilarious.
i imagine they lost one or two customers that did read it though.
1 person likes this
@benny128 (3615)
•
16 Apr 10
cool that's just something I would do my kind of sense of humour,
and yeah I always read the small print I have been in business for over 10 years and make it the most important thing before signing any document whether on or offline is to read what your signing.
Its ok being told what you are signing but the truth is by actually taking 5 mins to read the small print.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I am self employed so I write my own contracts and invoices. There is no fine print. I do what I say I will. If I dont, you dont pay. Pretty simple. I do business with people I know. I am well connected in the community so if they screw me, the whole town will know! and the same goes, if I screw them, I am out of business.
@Triper (71)
• Portugal
16 Apr 10
That's why there should be a general rule to block that stupid impossible to read words in all the contracts or make a world contract for stuff. It would simplify this problems of people not reading and also block future problems and even block this "not so funny" jokes.
I always read all the stuff in most of the tos/contract/rules/etc when I don't trust at 100% on the source to be trustful and just go with a thick and accept but after reading this it makes me wondering if isn't better to play the safe card and read all the stuff from now on.
If this company made a soul joke, what blocks someone to claim other thing? Money, body, houses, etc...
Yep, there is also legal issues and courts but if you accept something where is the illegally of it? You said just yes and they warned you to read it. You didn't made it so boom, head shot. Nobody told you not to read it.
1 person likes this
@MeritSelket (68)
• Germany
16 Apr 10
I wish I would read more often the fine print, but usually I avoid to read a manual at all. I know it`s not good and could end in a desaster oneday. but as much as I like reading good books as much I hate to read fine prints
1 person likes this
@linoxy (283)
• Cyprus
15 Apr 10
Hi laglen,
I think you have a really good point here, as also in one study in my country from one of government agencies, conclusion is the same. Also some NGO who basically work in a scope of defending consumer rights claimed that companies should more deeply explain the Terms and conditions to their customers as most people who referred to the NGO weren't aware of all points in their signed agreements. most of the complaints about service or a product to these NGOs were from people who haven't read all documents before purchase.
But, on contrary I firstly read the fine print as this usually is the most important area of the contract :) and if I don't find anything which I don't like than I go trough whole document.
1 person likes this
@sender621 (14889)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I try to always read the find print. I find if someone or something is trying to scam you the proof wll be in those few lines. A lot of times the fine print is more junk to read and ignore,. There are the few and precious times when reading a few extra words can save you a lot of grief.
1 person likes this
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
15 Apr 10
Hahaha, good for them for having some fun on their site. I know most people dont bother to read the fine print. I make it a point to do so always and in some instances, Ive decided to NOT agree with what Im reading.
My insurance company sends me the fine print (about 20 pages) ahead of time so I know exactly what Im getting into and they know it takes time to read so much fine print.
85% not reading is a lot of people who have NO idea what they're getting into.
Im wondering if what they wrote was legal? I guess someone will sue them for ownership of their souls haha!
Thanks for sharing this.
1 person likes this
