The average Terms & Conditions document is 8,000 words long. The average person spends 0 seconds reading it. That gap is not an accident — it's a design choice.
Legal teams at major companies have spent decades optimizing T&Cs to be technically valid while remaining practically unreadable. The result is a category of exploitative practices so common they have a name: dark patterns. Here are the six most prevalent ones, and what fair alternatives look like.
1. Mandatory Arbitration Clauses
Buried in paragraph 32: "Any dispute shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration." Translation: you waive your right to sue or join a class action. You agree to a private, company-friendly process instead of a public court.
What fair looks like: No mandatory arbitration, or at minimum a clear opt-out mechanism disclosed prominently.
2. Auto-Renewal Without Clear Disclosure
"Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period." This sentence, buried in section 5.1, means your card gets charged unless you take affirmative action — often with an obscure cancellation process designed to maximize friction.
What fair looks like: Auto-renewal disclosed in plain language at signup, with email reminders before renewal, and a simple cancellation path.
3. Cancellation by Phone Only
"You may cancel by calling our support line, Monday–Friday, 9AM–5PM Eastern, excluding federal holidays." This pattern is so common the FTC has taken action against companies that use it. The friction is intentional — most people give up.
What fair looks like: Cancellation available through the same channel used to sign up. If you can subscribe online, you can cancel online.
4. Vague Data Sharing Language
"We may share your information with trusted third parties." Every T&C has some version of this. It tells you nothing. Which parties? What data? For what purpose? Can you opt out? Most T&Cs don't say.
What fair looks like: Named categories of third parties, explicit purpose for each, and a clear opt-out mechanism.
5. Unilateral Right to Change Terms
"We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Your continued use constitutes acceptance." Meaning the contract you agreed to can be changed without your explicit consent — and using the service you already paid for counts as agreeing to whatever the new terms say.
What fair looks like: Material changes require explicit notice (email, not just a website update) and a reasonable window to cancel if you don't agree.
6. No Right to Delete
"We may retain your data for legitimate business purposes after account deletion." In practice, this means your data may never actually be deleted. Some T&Cs give you a "right to request deletion" — with no obligation to honor it.
What fair looks like: A genuine right to delete your account and all associated data, with a defined timeline and no carve-outs for "business purposes."
FairPrint scores every submission against these and four additional criteria. Companies that pass — meaning their T&Cs don't rely on dark patterns — receive a verified badge to display on their site.
If you run a company, paste your T&Cs here. The review takes two minutes and the report is yours regardless of outcome. If you're a consumer, check our directory to see which companies have passed.