How many times have you bought something online, whether a
retail product, a news service, a game or app, and been required to
click your agreement to the "fine print"? Have you ever
actually read the fine print? Or have you ever accessed a site that
says somewhere "continued use of this site constitutes
agreement with the terms and conditions of use ...." Have you
ever cared about what you are agreeing to?
The ways in which we buy goods and services online is coming
under increasing scrutiny. While our consumer protections laws have
never been tougher, it has never been easier to give away your
legal rights without ever knowing about it. In late 2017, the
Treasurer directed the ACCC to conduct a formal inquiry into
digital platforms. While that inquiry focuses especially on the
supply of news and media, the implications are significant for all
e-commerce.
