Cory Doctorowpluralistic@mamot.fr
Aug 3, 2026, 12:53 PMHave you ever received a Terms of Service or Privacy Policy update from a business you used that was an *improvement* on the previous version?
Replies
Urzlgooba42@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 12:56 PM@pluralistic It's *always* "somebody noticed previously undocumented abuses and rather than get sued some more or stopping the abuse, we're adding the documentation".
Nobody re-drafting those is on the side of "maybe we're not protecting users enough", it's always "maybe we're not protecting ourselves enough".
Andrew McCarthyAndrewMc@mastodon.ieAug 3, 2026, 12:58 PM@pluralistic Once, when my mobile phone provider removed the (unenforceable) ban on tethering.
Haaukkeblaubeer@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 1:29 PM@AndrewMc @pluralistic ... after they where sued and lost, of course.
Allan Chowgrumpasaurus@infosec.exchangeAug 3, 2026, 12:58 PM@pluralistic you know i never thought i would say this but thank goodness lawyers are stupid expensive because it's legitimately almost a last line of defense against some pretty horrible decisions at the workplace.
rpgwaiterrpgwaiter@based.zoneAug 3, 2026, 12:59 PM@pluralistic Valve telling me they removed the forced arbitration clause from their ToS
Aug 3, 2026, 5:16 PMI'm reminded The American Prospect took down their ads, from last April.
Not a ToS, but adjacent.https://prospect.org/removing-programmatic-ads-google-targeted-advertising/
Aug 3, 2026, 1:09 PMGenerally only when those changes are forced by a judgment or new legislation
Aug 3, 2026, 2:26 PM@emc2 @pluralistic And they're so proud of it then. A few years ago my employer was affected by new legislation like this, and I was involved in compliance. It was weird when the law took effect to hear our competitors advertising their compliance with the new regulations as a reason you should use them
The Great Llama :fuck_verify:TheGreatLlama@kolektiva.socialAug 3, 2026, 6:00 PM@trantion
@emc2 @pluralistic
"We here at XYZCorp are proud to announce that we're doing the BARE MINIMUM!"Thanks so much XYZCorp. I'm touched. 🙄
Vincent 🌻🇪🇺 en 🌹☘️photovince@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 1:22 PM@pluralistic Yes, but it was a language simplification (still a great plus) rather than an improvement in the terms itself
(And apologies if you’d like a reference, I forgot who it was)
Fabienfabienmarry@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 1:58 PM
Bruce Elrickvirtuous_sloth@cosocial.caAug 3, 2026, 2:08 PM@pluralistic I can't say that I've ever read one fully, plus they never show diffs.
(edited for two typos)
Mercmerc@techhub.socialAug 4, 2026, 2:28 AM@virtuous_sloth @pluralistic Yeah, that's the honest answer for most people. I didn't read the old one and I won't read the new one.
I probably should. In fact, I should probably hire a lawyer and have them read these things and advise me.
But, realistically, I know who has the power in the relationship, and don't think the terms will realistically hold them back or protect me.
Thomas Kräftnerkraftner@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 2:11 PM@pluralistic Yes, and it deserves a shout out again: Thank you @getkirby for this change in spring: https://getkirby.com/license/2026-03-26/summary#improvements
#kirbyCMS- Thomas Kräftnerkraftner@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 2:17 PM
@pluralistic @getkirby If anyone is curious how an innocent comment triggered this, the whole conversation happened in the open (sorry, german) https://mastodon.social/@getkirby/116159214154846050
teadrinkerteadrinker@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 2:50 PM@pluralistic only due to regulation or public outcry
ArneBabArneBab@rollenspiel.socialAug 3, 2026, 4:27 PM@pluralistic None that I read …
Wigglesworth Heartpennydatatrash@mastodon.socialAug 3, 2026, 7:30 PMWho knows?
random strangerkyonshi@dice.campAug 3, 2026, 8:08 PM@pluralistic yes, multiple times, because they were forced to by law
VleeuweVleeuwe@mastodon.socialAug 4, 2026, 5:53 AM@pluralistic I think I recall a data tool adding in a Freemium License model was something I considered to be an improvement. Other than that I've only noticed or improvements for the businesses but that's not what I aswered
