The biggest lie we tell all the time is that when we check the box at the bottom we are agreeing to an interminable list of conditions that basically say whatever they say. What we know is if we do not sign, we can’t use the product.
It’s not a choice. It’s a mandate. So we pretend we read the small print because we need to use the application or product and there’s no other way to do it. But we don’t read it. No one reads it. Why bother? Check the box. You have to check it anyway.
I think once I made an effort to read the small print, but it was years ago when I thought I had a choice. Now? I check the box. Like everyone else. Have you read those terms and conditions? Ever? Will you ever read them?
Those conditions could say anything including that we have to weave straw into gold or we’ll lose our first-born child. Hopefully, those words in small print merely say no matter what they do, we can’t sue them. We couldn’t anyway. They have more lawyers on call than the number of people in this town.
Check the box and move on.
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Categories: Humor, Legal Matters, Marilyn Armstrong, Technology, Words
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
Lol. Well count me in! I always check the box, but rarely read the small print!
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Perfectly stated and true! I “skim”—yada, yada….I WON’T sue you and just check it. When I’m at the doctor’s office I tend to read a bit closer. If I run out of patience, or I don’t feel well, I’ll go straight to wherever I must sign and move on.
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If you don’t sign, the app won’t work OR the doctor won’t treat you. You’ve always got a gun to your head and I’ll bet that these “agreements” could be tossed out of court as undue force. But who has the time to deal with that? You just need to get the app to run and/or the doctor to treat you. You don’t really have another choice.
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RIGHT?!?!
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it’s so crazy, and I remember when I was having a medical test at our university hospital, I had to initial a box that said ‘medicine is not an exact science. ‘ guess that covers every possible liability. like a Saturday night live document
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Yup. It’s never free will. It’s not like you’ll get treated if you refuse to sign. Unless we could figure out some angle that makes it religiously forbidden to sign without a lawyer present And what about mortgage and refinances? Has anyone ever tried to wade through that who wasn’t a lawyer? I might have to invent a religion to deal with this issue.
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I couldn’t agree more with you on this
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There’s no free will on our part. We sign or we don’t get treated — or the software won’t work. Which is particularly annoying when you’ve already PAID for the app or service. We ought to have some rights.
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And to have those rights, we must checkmark on the box!
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Which, being sane, I do. It aggravates me every time I do it, even though I know there isn’t any choice — sign or die, so to speak. There was a time when I would have said none of these forced agreements would stand up in court, but these days, the courts are as crazy as the pols.
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I agree with you 100%. I went to share this post on Facebook & it said I couldn’t because something in your content has been labeled as offensive or dangerous or something by FB users. What the hell is that all about? Corporations are interested in “New Feudalism.” We’ve allowed them to suck our blood long enough, haven’t they? Terms & conditions! FB finds that offensive? I’m having a conniption fit, as Mama used to say. You have all my support.
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I dumped FB when they decided they didn’t care for my political opinion. Which was, interesting considering what other people say and do. I was pretty mild. No cursing, no threats. Not even rage or fury. They just didn’t LIKE what I had to say. Maybe it was because mine was written in real English with punctuation and proper spelling. I really dislike FB and was just as happy to split with them. You can, however, if you like, copy the content and post it under your name. I don’t mind. Just don’t copy the pictures. You can create your own — that’s what AI is for, I suppose.
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Going to a doctor appointment has now become a text to ‘check-in online.’ After you have given all the information they could possibly need about you (that they already have from the last appointment), they have that ‘I agree’ statement. You know how small that print is on a cellphone screen?! Yet, I quickly scroll to the bottom and hit ‘I accept.’ No idea what I just accepted. But I move on…
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I won’t use the “Pre-check” because they want you to pay before you actually visit. I force them to bill me. Of course, I still have to sign and agree when I get there, but at least I don’t have to do it in advance.
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