COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — When you click "I agree" to a website's terms of service, you're entering into a legally binding contract. It's a detail many of us overlook in our increasingly digital lives.
Now, think back to the last time you read an entire terms of service agreement. Chances are, you probably haven't. It's usually lengthy and packed with legal jargon that's hard to understand for most.
“I tried to read the whole 11 pages of Terms of Services. I just couldn’t,” said Pikes Peak State College business professor Dr. Dennis Natali, PhD. “My brain was just going off in different places. I couldn’t focus long enough to read everything.”
Dr. Natali discovered a simpler way to understand what you're really saying "yes" to in your terms of service by using Artificial Intelligence (A.I.).
A.I. has been around for nearly 70 years, according to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. But as technology advances, the potential risks increase, Dr. Natali said.
"Every day, dozens of A.I. products are coming out on how to do things easier, smarter, faster. But you have to click here to ‘agree,’” said Dr. Natali. “That click here, is a legal contract, and when you click to agree, there's a whole Terms of Service behind there."
Security research shows 9% of people read the terms of agreement contract when prompted. The amount decreases to only 3% in people ages 18-34.
With agreements often spanning several pages, Dr. Natali shared his method for efficiently assessing potential risks before agreeing.
"So what I do is I copied it into four different chunks and I fed it into my CHAT GPT," said Dr. Natali.
He then divided them into manageable sections for the GPT to ingest. He put in about 1,000-words per section.
“Most GPTs will begin processing the information unless you ask them to wait for more instructions,” says Dr. Natali. “So, at the end of each section, add: ‘Do not reply yet; I will upload more.’”
He then typed in specific prompts to extract key insights.
1: Recommended Prompt to Locate and Extract the Terms of Service
"Summarize the key legal obligations for users in this section of the Terms of Service. Highlight any risks or rights the user may be giving up."
2: Recommended Prompt to Identify Key Legal Terms
"Extract and explain any arbitration or dispute resolution clauses in this section. Does it waive any legal rights, such as the right to sue in court?"
3: Recommended Prompt to Assess Unilateral Changes
"Does this Terms of Service section allow the company to change its policies without user consent? If so, what are the risks for users?"
Step 4: Recommended Prompt to Analyze the Termination Clause
"What are the grounds for account termination in the Terms of Service? Does the company provide a clear appeals process or explanation?" What does the company do with the data after cancellation or termination?
5: Recommended Prompt to Identify Hidden Risks
"Summarize any sections of the Terms of Service where users might be giving up ownership of their content or agreeing to automatic renewals."
6: Recommended Prompt for Privacy and Data Collection
"Summarize this Terms of Services data collection, storage and privacy policies. Does the company share data with third parties, and can users opt out?"
7: Recommended Prompt for Legal Enforceability & Governing Law
"What governing law applies to this Terms of Service? Would a user in another state or country have difficulties enforcing their rights?"
8: Recommended Prompt to Summarize Key Takeaways
"Summarize the most concerning aspects of this Terms of Service agreement. If you were advising a friend, what would you tell them to watch out for?"
After putting in these specific prompts, Dr. Natali found some concerning information about the Terms of Service agreement that he was using CHAT GPT to analyze.
"We just have to be really careful," he said. "We have some really cool A.I. where you just type in a few words and it'll create all these doodles for you, but what are you really giving up? One of the greatest dangers is that you're giving up information always. This is why everything is free because information is the new currency of business."
After reviewing the summarized risks of using the website, it's up to you to decide whether you want to proceed.
“By following this structured approach, you will develop a critical eye for online contracts,” said Dr. Natali. “Understanding what you’re agreeing to will help protect your rights and make informed decisions about the services you use.”
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