Terms and Conditions – What the Dickens!

Recent research conducted by the BBC has shown that terms and conditions (T&C’s) for the use of 15 major social media platforms were written at a university reading level, and were “more complicated than Charles Dickens novels.” This is despite the fact that children as young as 13 years old can subscribe to them – read the BBC article here.

It is surprising that these forward-thinking and creative social media platforms are still using such technical language in their T&Cs. I have drafted T&C’s for a variety of clients including big multi-nationals and budding entrepreneurs, but have always tailored them to my client’s requirements. Whilst some clients prefer a formal and traditional style, others are more creative and prefer to use quirky, friendly language. So long as the T&C’s contain the appropriate protection for clients, they do not necessarily have to be written using legalistic and jargon-filled language. It comes down to understanding your customer demographic and your brand so that legal documents can be drafted appropriately. Therefore, if your website is aimed at youngsters,your T&Cs and in particular your privacy policy should be drafted in a way which your users can easily understand.

If you would to like to discuss your T&C’s or your privacy policy, then please get in touch.