TOSDR Has Terms of Service Report Cards for Photo Sharing Services

When signing up for virtually every photo sharing service, you’ll be asked to agree to a lengthy terms of service document that’s filled with legalese. If you’re confused by the text and want that agreement spelled out for you in simpler terms, check out Terms of Service; Didn’t Read (TOSDR), a new site that’s dedicated to explaining terms and giving out report cards based on the conditions.

“‘I have read and agree to the Terms’ is the biggest lie on the web. We aim to fix that,” the service says. “Terms of service are often too long to read, but it’s important to understand what’s in them. Your rights online depend on them. We hope that our ratings can help you get informed about your rights.”

There are a number of photo sharing-related services listed so far, including Flickr, 500px, and Facebook.

500px is the only one of the three that has received a “grade” already from the service, but it’s not a good one. The service was given a “Class D” rating, with the note: “The terms of service are very uneven or there are some important issues that need your attention.”

Bookmark the TOSDR website if you’d like to use it as a quick reference for understanding what the legal docs of popular services actually say.