THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
From Surrendering Souls to Rogue Vegetable Gardens, Looking at Bizarre and Overlooked Terms in Everyday Contracts By DAVID PARKS Contract Logix scoured through some of the most common legal agreements you’ll come across in your lifetime, and we’ve handpicked some of the weirdest, scariest, and most hidden terms you’ll agree to from high school to retirement. Some of the oddest findings in the data include:
A
s legal practitioners and suppliers of goods and services to the legal industry, it’s very easy for us to forget that understanding – and even reading – terms and conditions is not necessarily the norm. It’s safe to assume that many American consumers rapidly click through and consent to legal terms and services conditions without ever reading them.
28
TODAYSGENERALCOUNSEL.COM
Hippo Leasing examined terms and conditions related to purchasing and leasing cars and found that reading Volkswagen’s legal documentation would take 7 hours and 6 minutes. That is nearly the same amount of time it takes to read Shakespeare’s Hamlet- twice. Even worse? They found that tech legal documents are 50% longer than those from car manufacturers.
JANUARY 2024
• Nissan’s privacy clause which gives the company permission to track and collect sexual activity, medical diagnoses and genetic data for targeted ads • UK retailer Gamestation temporarily changed its terms and conditions (T&C) to include a clause stating that users who accept the T&C would surrender their immortal soul to the company • Airlines’ “customers of size” policies requiring that you pay an additional fee to have a second seat or denying service because of what you’re wearing • Contract phrases that waive the right to a jury trial or class-action lawsuit • Homeowners association drones patrolling homeowners’ property BACK TO CONTENTS
