Plain-English dictionary

Glossary

25 legal-flavored terms companies use to fog up their fine print — translated into what they actually mean for you.

A

Arbitration clause: A line in the terms saying you agree that if there's ever a dispute, you can't sue in a normal court — a private judge (the arbitrator) decides instead, usually behind closed doors.
Auto-renewal: Your subscription keeps charging you every month or year until you actively cancel. Silence counts as "yes" — even if you forgot the account existed.

Browsewrap: A weaker form of "you agreed" — just by using the site, the company claims you agreed to their terms. Courts often reject browsewrap because most users never see the link.

Chargeback: When you tell your credit card company "this charge is wrong, take it back." The bank pulls the money from the merchant. Strongest consumer remedy that doesn't need a lawyer.
Class-action waiver: You give up the right to join with other wronged customers in one big lawsuit. You can only ever complain alone — which is exactly why companies love it.
Clickwrap: The "I agree" checkbox before you create the account. Courts almost always enforce clickwrap because you literally clicked.

Dark pattern: A user-interface trick designed to get you to do something you didn't want to — pre-checked boxes, buried unsubscribe links, guilt-tripping wording, fake urgency timers.
Dispute resolution: The section of the terms that tells you what you can and can't do if you're unhappy. Usually a maze designed to slow you down until you give up.

Force majeure: Latin-flavored escape hatch letting the company skip its obligations during "acts of God" — wars, pandemics, natural disasters. Widely used to deny refunds.

Governing law: Which state's or country's laws apply, and often which courts you'd have to sue in. Companies pick jurisdictions friendly to them (Delaware, Ireland, arbitration in California).

Indemnification: You promise to pay the company's legal costs if someone sues them because of something you did. Reads like fine print, functions like a blank check.

Limitation of liability: The company caps the maximum they'll ever owe you — often the amount you paid, sometimes just $100, sometimes zero. Even if their screwup cost you thousands.

Mandatory arbitration: Arbitration you can't refuse. Different from ordinary arbitration only in that there's no opt-out and no court option — take it or don't use the service.

Non-refundable: The company's stated policy that your money is gone the moment you paid. Doesn't override chargeback rights or state consumer-protection laws — it just discourages you from trying.

Opt-out: A time-limited window (usually 30 days after signup) where you can send a written notice removing yourself from arbitration, ad tracking, or data sharing. Blink and you miss it.

Perpetual license: You give the company forever-lasting rights to use, copy, and modify anything you upload — photos, reviews, videos, comments. "Perpetual" means it never expires.
Privacy policy: A separate document (not the terms of service) explaining what data they collect, who they share it with, and how long they keep it. Legally binding once you sign up.

Right of publicity: Your right to control commercial use of your name, image, and likeness. Terms of service often ask you to sign it away for user-generated content.

Severability: Legal safety net for the company — if a court throws out one clause, the rest of the terms still apply. Prevents one bad line from killing the whole agreement.
Subscription trap: A checkout flow designed so it's easy to sign up (one click) and painful to cancel (phone calls, chat queues, retention offers, forms that expire).

Terms of service: The full contract you agree to when you make an account. Legally binding whether or not you read it. Frequently updated without you noticing.
Third-party data sharing: The company sells or gives your data to other companies — advertisers, analytics firms, data brokers, "business partners." Almost always disclosed vaguely.

Unilateral amendment: The company can change the terms whenever they want, and "continued use" means you accepted the new version. You can't push back — you can only stop using the service.

Waiver of rights: You give up a legal protection you'd otherwise have — jury trial, class action, specific damages. "Waiver" is legalese for "you agreed to lose this."
Warranty disclaimer: The company saying the product is provided "as is" with no promises it'll work, be accurate, or be safe. If something goes wrong, it's not their problem.

Consumer education and watchdog reporting. Not legal advice.