Terms of Service
Insert our own TOS here. What follows is the definition of a TOS.
Terms of service (also known as terms of use and terms and conditions, commonly abbreviated as ToS or TOS and TOU) are rules which one must agree to abide by in order to use a service. Terms of service can also be merely a disclaimer, especially regarding the use of websites.
The Terms-of-Service Agreement, is mainly used for legal purposes, by websites and internet service providers, that store a user's personal data, such as e-commerce and social networking services. A legitimate terms-of-service agreement, is legally binding, and may be subject to change.
A terms-of-service agreement typically contains sections pertaining to one or more of the following topics:
- Disambiguation/definition of key words and phrases
- User rights and responsibilities
- Proper or expected usage; potential misuse
- Accountability for online actions, behavior, and conduct
- Privacy policy outlining the use of personal data
- Payment details such as membership or subscription fees, etc.
- Opt-out policy describing procedure for account termination, if available
- Disclaimer/Limitation of Liability clarifying the site's legal liability for damages incurred by users
- User notification upon modification of terms, if offered
Terms of service are subject to change and vary from service to service, so several initiatives exist to increase public awareness by clarifying such differences in Terms, including:
- Copyright licensing on user content
- Transparency on government or law enforcement requests for content removal
- Notification of government or third-party requests for personal data
- Transparency of security practices
- Saved or temporary first and third-party cookies
- Data tracking policy and opt-out availability
- Pseudonym allowance
- Readability
- Notification and feedback prior to changes in Terms
- Availability of previous Terms
- Notification prior to information transfer in event of merger or acquisition
- Indemnification or compensation for claims against account or content
- Cancellation or termination of account by user and or service