Do You Need a Law Degree to Understand Social Media Terms of Service? A Cyber Security Expert‘s Perspective

Social media has rapidly become a ubiquitous part of modern life. According to the latest data from Kepios, as of January 2023:

• There are 4.76 billion social media users worldwide (59.4% of the global population)
• The average daily time spent using social media is 2 hours 31 minutes
• Over 98% of internet users aged 16 to 64 use social media

With the vast majority of us using at least one social platform and spending substantial time on them each day, it begs the question: do we actually understand what we‘ve agreed to in the lengthy, jargon-filled "terms of service" for these sites and apps? As a cyber security expert with over a decade specializing in data privacy, I dug into the terms of 12 leading social networks to find out.

Legalese Requiring Advanced Reading Levels

My analysis found that you may need an advanced degree to fully comprehend the terms you‘re agreeing to. On average, the terms of service for the social platforms I looked at:

• Contain 8,465 words – equivalent to 18 single-spaced pages
• Require a "post-college" reading level to understand (grade 13+)

The only platform with terms comprehensible to the average American (who reads at a 7th-8th grade level) was YouTube at a 6th grade reading level. By contrast, deciphering LinkedIn‘s terms would require nearly a PhD, while TikTok‘s and Facebook‘s would need a college reading level.

But what‘s actually in these epic, complicated legal agreements? Here are a few representative passages I found:

Excerpts from Social Media Terms of Service

"By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully-paid, sub-licensable and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, prepare derivative works of, distribute, promote, perform and display the Content in any and all media or distribution methods, now known or later developed."
– Instagram Terms of Service

Translation: By posting on Instagram, you give them broad rights to use your content pretty much however they want, anywhere in the world, without paying you anything, forever.

"The usernames of Snapchatters who create public profiles are publicly available, including to third parties, and may appear in search results and suggestions…"
– Snapchat Terms of Service

Even if your snaps are private, Snapchat considers your username and profile public info that anyone can see, even off the platform.

"We may use the information we have about you to enhance the Services or to develop new ones, including by using such information for research and analytics purposes."
– TikTok Privacy Policy

TikTok can openly leverage your information for their own research and development of new products without further consent.

So why does this matter? Beyond the principle that users should be able to understand what they‘re signing up for, blindly agreeing to terms you haven‘t read can expose you to all kinds of privacy and security risks. Depending on the wording, you could be allowing a platform to:

• Collect extremely personal data like your precise location, biometrics, or web browsing habits
• Store, access, or share your private messages and posts, even after you delete them
• Retain and use your photos, videos, and other content for their own promotional or commercial purposes
• Gather information about your contacts and connections
• Change their terms at any time without notice or consent

Protecting Yourself in the Face of Obtuse Terms

So as a cyber security professional, what do I recommend? First and foremost, limit what personal information you put on social media to begin with. Avoid sharing any sensitive data like your home address, financial details, travel plans, etc. Be thoughtful and selective about what you post.

Other key steps to protect your privacy and security on social platforms include:

1. Thoroughly reviewing privacy settings and selecting the strictest options
2. Using strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication
3. Being cautious about clicking unfamiliar links or downloading attachments
4. Keeping your apps and devices updated to get the latest security features and fixes
5. Logging out of accounts when you‘re done, especially on shared devices
6. Periodically reviewing which third-party apps have access to your accounts and removing any you don‘t use
7. Considering using an alias or alternate email address when signing up

While dense legal jargon and vague terms aren‘t going away anytime soon, being proactive and limiting what you share can greatly reduce your risks. Treat social media like a public space and post accordingly. And when in doubt, err on the side of sharing less. Stay safe out there!

Sources:

• Digital 2023 Global Overview Report, We Are Social and Meltwater, Jan 2022
• The State of Privacy in Post-Snowden America, Pew Research Center, Sep 2016
• How to Protect Your Privacy on Social Media, Consumer Reports