Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Adobe Digital Editions' ebook DRM

2026-04-09T17:54:38Z

Cunningcoder: Add cargo data.

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Adobe
|StartDate=
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product= Adobe Digital Editions
|ArticleType=Product
|Type= Ownership, False Advertising
|Description= Adobe limits downloads of bought books through their apps despite unlimited downloads advertised
}}

Modern-day ebook publishers have been utilizing various forms of [[Digital rights management|digital-rights management]] (DRM) to protect the books they sell to make sure that "copyright laws are respected and that authors and publishers are fairly compensated".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=DRM for NOOK Content |url=https://help.barnesandnoble.com/hc/en-us/articles/5445106302107-DRM-for-NOOK-Content |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251112084413/https://help.barnesandnoble.com/hc/en-us/articles/5445106302107-DRM-for-NOOK-Content |archive-date=12 Nov 2025|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=Barnes & Noble}}</ref> However, the end user who purchases the content legally ends up being restricted in what they are able to do with the ebook once they have purchased it. One of Adobe's version of this DRM is called "Adobe Digital Editions" which is the client the user uses to read their ebooks.

==Background==
'''[[Adobe]] eBook Platform''' is a platform for publishers to leverage when selling ebooks. This includes the following software suite: Adobe InDesign® CC software, Adobe Content Server software, the Adobe Reader® Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK), and Adobe Digital Editions.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/cc/us/en/solutions/ebook/adobe_ebook_platform_whitepaper.pdf |title=Adobe® eBook Platform: Authoring and delivering eBooks across devices |website=Adobe |year=2014 |access-date=6 Feb 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206103948/https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/cc/us/en/solutions/ebook/adobe_ebook_platform_whitepaper.pdf |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref> A summary of each of the software is outlined below at a high level (mostly extracted from the Adobe white paper on the platform):

*Adobe Content Server - "Adobe Content Server allows publishers, retailers, distributors, and libraries to host and manage eBook distribution. This server software encrypts PDF and EPUB eBook files and allows publishers and retailers to manage the rights on the eBook files they distribute.<ref name=":0" />"
*Adobe Reader Mobile SDK - The SDK " allows e-reader device manufacturers and eBook application developers to support EPUB and PDF files protected by Content Server in their products. It enables tethered and over-the-air downloads so that consumers can order eBooks directly through their devices or “side-load” them by copying files from their desktops to their mobile devices".<ref name=":0" />
*Adobe InDesign - InDesign allows the publishers to export EPUB and EPUB3 files from print layouts. This also allows publishers to export ebooks to hardware such as the "Sony Reader, the Barnes & Noble nook, and smartphones, as well as personal computers using Microsoft® Windows® or Mac OS".<ref name=":0" />
*Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) - "Adobe Digital Editions is a free, lightweight desktop reading application for PC and Mac that allows eBook consumers to easily download and organize their eBooks easily. Consumers can read their eBooks online and offline, transfer copy-protected eBooks from their personal computers to other devices, organize eBooks into a custom library, and annotate page".<ref name=":0" />

All these solutions come together to give publishers control over their ebook content. The main product discussed on this page is Adobe Digital Editions (ADE). ADE allows for the following benefits:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Optimize your reading experience with the best eBook reader across formats. |url=https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260118163309/https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions.html |archive-date=18 Jan 2026|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=[[Adobe]]}}</ref>

*Download and transfer of books between devices
*EPUB3 support
*Keyword search across ebooks
*Voiceover accessibility
*Multi-language support
*Bookmarking, highlighting, and note support
*Support for borrowing ebooks from libraries
*ebook printing (publishers decide whether they opt-in for allowing printing or not)
*EPUB, EPUB3 and PDF support

ADE also has system requirements, as it is an application running on your system:<ref>{{Cite web |title=System requirements |url=https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/tech-specs.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251016100218/https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/tech-specs.html |archive-date=16 Oct 2025|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=[[Adobe]]}}</ref>

Windows:

*Intel® Pentium® 4 processor or later
*Windows® 7 (32 or 64 bit running in 32-bit mode) or later
*512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
*40MB of available hard-disk space

Mac OS:

*Intel Core™ Duo or faster processor
*Mac OS X v10.8 or later
*Compatible with Apple Retina Display
*512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
*75MB of available hard-disk space

iOS:

*Minimum requirement 9.0 or later.
*Compatible with iPhone and iPad.

Android:

*Minimum requirement 4.4 or later.
*Compatible with the Mobile and Tablet.

==Adobe Digital Edition's Consumer Effects==
With the release of the platform and specifically the Adobe Digital Edition application, consumers have been restricted on what they are allowed to do with ebooks that they have purchased. Although unlimited downloads are mentioned by publishers and ebook sites, those are tied to an account.<ref name=":1" /> This means that if access to an account is lost, then the access to those ebooks is lost as well. eBooks.com is one of the various e-bookstores that sells both non-DRM and DRM books leveraging ADE. When purchasing an ebook from them, you get a .acsm file. This format only works with the Adobe Digital Editions application. The user needs to create an Adobe account (after already creating an ebooks.com account) in order to add the book to their account. ADE (pertaining to purchases from ebooks.com) allows for authorization of up to 10 devices with a single Adobe ID, but only one computer.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Turvey |first=Alex |title=What is DRM? (DRM FAQs) |url=https://support.ebooks.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360000726656-What-is-DRM-DRM-FAQs |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251119124351/https://support.ebooks.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360000726656-What-is-DRM-DRM-FAQs |archive-date=19 Nov 2025|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=eBooks.com}}</ref> The end user would not be able to read a book on a home computer and then later on a laptop simultaneously due to this limitation. Barnes and Noble uses ADE as well for their ebooks, with their limitations being a bit different in comparison to ebooks.com's. They have 4 versions of DRM types they leverage for the books sold on their site:<ref name=":1" />

#Consumer DRM (eBook)
##Unlimited downloads
##Up to six (6) devices/computers
##No copying and printing
#Business DRM (eBook)
##One (1) download
##Up to one (1) device/computer
##No copying and printing
#Education DRM (eTextbook)
##Two (2) downloads
##Up to two (2) devices/computers
##Limited copying and printing
#Hard DRM
##Six (6) downloads
##Up to six (6) devices/computers
##Used for Case Studies made available by professors and specific courses

In both cases, the user is limited to only a certain number of devices and has to constantly authorize and un-authorize readers in order to be in compliance. This leads to a lack of autonomy for the user who has purchased the book. In addition, with the Barnes and Noble "Consumer DRM" section, a user is not able to print the ebook they have purchased either. Going back to the ebooks.com example, ebooks.com has a bit more control on the consumer stating that due to DRM: "the amount of printing or copying and pasting you can do may be restricted, or prevented entirely. It will also determine whether the read aloud functionality is enabled for the ebook or not".<ref name=":2" />

With ADE, a consumer will always need to download the application to access books that they have purchased. This is under the assumption that the user is able to have the technical know-how to do all the ADE overhead in order to finally read the book they have purchased. In addition, individuals who do not have access to the most modern technology, thus not being able to download ADE on their system, are also then prevented from reading ebooks they have purchased.

If a user were to be able to remove DRM from a ebook purchased from an e-bookstore leveraging ADE, they would then be breaching the compliance with an end-user license agreement or a customer license. On ebook.com's customer license page, they mention the following: "You promise to keep any eBook in the form in which it was supplied to you. We may include other information (including information identifying the author, the copyright owner, or the terms upon which the eBook is supplied) to any eBook supplied to you. You promise not to circumvent any measures that we have taken to protect the rights in the eBook that we have supplied, including removing this information or otherwise facilitating an infringement of copyright".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Customer License |url=https://www.ebooks.com/en-us/information/customerlicense/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250612001054/https://www.ebooks.com/en-us/information/customerlicense/ |archive-date=12 Jun 2025|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=eBooks.com}}</ref> Although no lawsuits have been found being documented (as of writing this article), the door for this kind of consumer abuse is still present.

In 2014, the Electronic Frontier Foundation had published an article regarding how Adobe Digital Edition was tracking its end users by logging what the end-user reads and what happens to those files.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McSherry |first=Corynne |date=7 Oct 2014 |title=Adobe Spyware Reveals (Again) the Price of DRM: Your Privacy and Security |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/10/adobe-spyware-reveals-again-price-drm-your-privacy-and-security |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222203055/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/10/adobe-spyware-reveals-again-price-drm-your-privacy-and-security |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=EFF}}</ref> This data was also being sent in plain-text undermining the privacy of the users.

==Consumer response==
On Reddit, consumers are constantly inquiring about steps to remove the Adobe DRM, as it is obstructing the end-users method of being able to comfortably read the ebooks they have purchased.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adobe Digital Editions & DRM |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/xvct89/adobe_digital_editions_drm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221005145404/https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/xvct89/adobe_digital_editions_drm/ |archive-date=5 Oct 2022|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

==Adobe Ebook DRM Removal==
In the Abbey House Media v. Apple Inc ruling on an ebookstore notifying users of how to remove ebook DRM, a judge has ruled that telling users to remove DRM from books they have legally purchased is "not contributory copyright infringement".<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 Nov 2014 |title=Abbey House Media v. Apple Inc |url=https://www.eff.org/document/abbey-house-media-v-apple-inc |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251010154102/https://www.eff.org/document/abbey-house-media-v-apple-inc |archive-date=10 Oct 2025|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=EFF}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Higgins |first=Parker |date=10 Dec 2014 |title=Pointing Users to DRM-Stripping Software Isn't Copyright Infringement, Judge Rules |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/12/pointing-users-drm-stripping-software-isnt-copyright-infringement-judge-rules?language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708194122/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/12/pointing-users-drm-stripping-software-isnt-copyright-infringement-judge-rules?language=en |archive-date=8 Jul 2025|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=EFF}}</ref> The summary of this case being that the removal of DRM protection on books in non-infringing cases of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) does not necessarily lead to the piracy of digital books.<ref name=":3" />

An online persona known as ApprenticeAlf, has also gone ahead to create a tool to remove DRM as well from multiple forms of ebook DRM, not only Adobe's.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=10 Sep 2012 |title=DRM Removal Tools for eBooks |url=https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/drm-removal-tools-for-ebooks/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222203220/https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/drm-removal-tools-for-ebooks/ |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=Apprentice Alf's Blog}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Digital rights management]]
[[Category:Adobe]]

List of products and services with forced arbitration

2026-04-09T15:37:11Z

Cunningcoder: Add recent Bank of America arbitration agreement

'''[[Forced arbitration]]''' is the practice in which businesses require their customers to resolve disputes through third-party arbitration instead of a traditional court system, often while revoking the consumer's right to partake in a class-action lawsuit. Businesses will typically add an arbitration clause to their [[Terms of Service]] which outlines how disputes should be handled between them and the consumer. The business decides who the arbiter is, irrespective of biases and conflicts of interest, and when combined with the revocation of the customer's rights to a traditional court system, forced arbitration is exploitative in benefiting the business at the customer's expense.

Adding arbitration clauses in take-it-or-leave-it contracts (e.g. consumer products and services) is a widespread practice across all industries and relations (including employment). Nonetheless, this article attempts to cover as many consumer products and services containing an arbitration clause as possible.

==Products and services==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Product/service
!Company
!Clause
!Source
!Opt-out method(s)
!Note
|-
|
|[[Acer]]
|"To the fullest extent provided by law, and except as otherwise provided below, You and Acer agree that any Dispute (as further defined below in this Section 16) between You and Acer will be resolved exclusively and finally by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and conducted in accordance with the AAA’s Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Disputes of the Commercial Arbitration Rules and the Consumer Due Process Protocol.
YOUR RIGHTS WILL THEREFORE BE DETERMINED BY A NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR AND NOT A JUDGE OR JURY."
|Standard Terms of Sale, Section 16<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-25 |title=Standard Terms of Sale |url=https://store.acer.com/en-us/media/Acer_America_Corporation_Terms_of_Sale_US.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260105230826/https://store.acer.com/en-us/media/Acer_America_Corporation_Terms_of_Sale_US.pdf |archive-date=2026-01-05 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Acer Store}}</ref>
|None
|"Under the AAA Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Dispute and Consumer Due Process Protocol, You retain the right to seek relief in a small claims court for Disputes within the scope of the small claims court’s jurisdiction. The small claims action, or any portion of it, will not be consolidated with any other action and will not be conducted on a class-wide or class-action basis."
"YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, IN THE ABSENCE OF THIS PROVISION, YOU WOULD HAVE HAD A RIGHT TO LITIGATE DISPUTES THROUGH A COURT, INCLUDING THE RIGHT, IF ANY, AND SUBJECT TO THE RULES OF YOUR JURISDICTION, TO LITIGATE CLAIMS ON A CLASS-WIDE OR CLASS-ACTION BASIS, AND THAT YOU HAVE EXPRESSLY AND KNOWINGLY WAIVED THOSE RIGHTS AND AGREED TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. If this specific provision is found to be unenforceable, then the entirety of this arbitration provision shall be null and void."
|-
|AKG, Harmon Kardon, JBL
|Harman International Industries
|"You and Harman agree that, except as set forth below, we will resolve any controversies, claims, counterclaims, or other disputes between you and Harman or you and a third-party agent of Harman (a “Claim”) through final and binding arbitration instead of through court proceedings in accordance with the Consumer Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA Rules”)"
|JBL Terms of Use<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms of Use |url=https://www.jbl.com/terms/terms-of-use.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260129085833/https://www.jbl.com/terms/terms-of-use.html |archive-date=2026-01-29 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=JBL}}</ref>
|None
|"This arbitration agreement does not preclude you or Harman from seeking action by federal, state, or local government agencies. You and Harman also have the right to bring qualifying claims in small claims court or transfer qualifying claims to small claims court. "
|-
|[[Bandcamp]]
|Bandcamp Ventures LLC
|"Any dispute arising from or relating to the subject matter of this Agreement shall be finally settled by arbitration in Los Angeles County, California, using the English language in accordance with the Arbitration Rules and Procedures of Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) then in effect, by one commercial arbitrator with substantial experience in resolving intellectual property and commercial contract disputes, who shall be selected from the appropriate list of JAMS arbitrators in accordance with the Arbitration Rules and Procedures of JAMS."
|"Dispute Resolution" section of Terms of Use<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bandcamp Terms of Use |url=https://bandcamp.com/terms_of_use |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251013161152/https://bandcamp.com/terms_of_use |archive-date=2025-10-13 |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=Bandcamp}}</ref>
|
|Service cannot be used in places where these terms are not allowed or unenforcable: "Use of the Service is not authorized in any jurisdiction that does not give effect to all provisions of these Terms of Use, including without limitation, this section."
|-
|BofA Online Services
|Bank of America
|"By means of this arbitration agreement, each party waives the right to have any dispute heard in court whenever either party chooses to submit or refer such dispute to arbitration, subject to the limitations set forth further below in the Scope of Arbitration section."
|Section 12 of Banking Service Agreement<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 May 2026 |title=Online Banking Service Agreement |url=https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/agreement/OnlineBankingServiceAgreementUpdateEN.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402032932/www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/agreement/OnlineBankingServiceAgreementUpdateEN.pdf |archive-date=2 Apr 2026 |access-date=9 Apr 2026 |website=Bank of America}}</ref>
|By [https://www.bankofamerica.com/arbitration-optout link] or [tel:+18002838875 phone] within 60 days of first delivery; consumers only
|
|-
|Dell Consumer Products
|[[Dell]]
|"YOU AND DELL AGREE TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTES BETWEEN US EXCLUSIVELY AND FINALLY BY BINDING ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, WHICH MEANS YOU AND DELL WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO LITIGATE DISPUTES IN A COURT OR BEFORE A JURY, OR AS PART OF A CLASS ACTION, A REPRESENTATIVE ACTION, A CONSOLIDATED ACTION OR IN A PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL CAPACITY, EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED IN ANY APPLICABLE MASS ARBITRATION RULES, PROCEDURES, OR GUIDELINES.
a. This arbitration requirement applies to any claim or dispute of any kind (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, whether pre-existing, present, or future, and including statutory, common law, or equitable) between you and Dell, its agents, employees, successors, assigns, direct and indirect subsidiaries, and any third party providing any products or services to you in connection with your purchase ("Dell") that relates in any way to your purchase or Product, these Terms, or Dell's marketing or advertising (“Claims”)."

"You and Dell agree to arbitration only on an individual basis, except as specified in any applicable mass arbitration rules, procedures, or guidelines. Neither you nor Dell may join or consolidate claims of others or participate in any claim as a class representative or a class member"
|
|None
|"You still have the right to bring individual Claims in small claims court, to the extent that you qualify."
"If any portion of this arbitration agreement is found unenforceable, the unenforceable portion shall be severed and the remaining arbitration terms shall be enforced (but in no event will there be a class arbitration)."
|-
|[[Discord]]
|Discord Inc.
|"You agree that any Dispute between you and Discord that for any reason is not subject to the “Agreement to Arbitrate” section below may only be pursued by you on an individual basis, and you may not bring a claim as a plaintiff or a class member in a class, collective, or representative action."
|Section 16 of Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discord Terms of Service |url=https://discord.com/terms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260120051841/https://discord.com/terms |archive-date=2026-01-20 |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=Discord}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|[[eBay]]
|eBay Inc.
|'''"'''You and eBay each agree that any and all disputes or claims between you and eBay (or any related third parties) that arise out of or relate in any way to this or previous versions of the User Agreement, your use of or access to our Services, the actions of eBay or its agents, or any products or services sold, offered, or purchased through our Services, including the scope or applicability of this Agreement to Arbitrate (each, a "Dispute") shall be resolved exclusively through final and binding arbitration, rather than in court.'''"'''
|Section 19 B of the User Agreement<ref>{{Cite web |title=User Agreement |url=https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/user-agreement?id=4259#section19 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=eBay |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128012537/https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/user-agreement?id=4259 |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|Electronic Gaming Monthly Compendium
|EGM Media, LLC
|"Any dispute which arises in the course of or following the performance of the present contract will be definitively settled by means of arbitration and to the exclusion of courts of law, in accordance with arbitration rules in force at the time this contract is entered into and to which the parties declare they have adhered. Any such controversy or claim will be arbitrated on an individual basis, and will not be consolidated in any arbitration with any claim or controversy of any other party. The arbitration will be conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada, and judgment on the arbitration award may be entered into any court having jurisdiction of it."
|Section 19 of the Website Terms of Use and Subscription Agreement<ref>{{Cite web |title=EGM Compendium - EULA |url=https://egmcompendium.com/info/terms-of-use.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=EGM Compendium}}</ref>
|None
|
|-
|Epson
|Epson America Inc.
|"Both you and Epson agree that any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to Epson products or services or this agreement, shall be resolved by arbitration on individual, non-class, non-representative basis, rather than in court. The arbitration shall be governed by the rules of JAMS that are in effect when the arbitration is filed, excluding any rules that permit arbitration on a class or representative basis and under the rules set forth in this agreement. The arbitrator, and not any federal, state, or local court or agency shall have the exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation, including but not limited to, any claim that all or any part is void or voidable. JAMS rules are available at <nowiki>http://www.jamsadr.com</nowiki> or by calling 1-800-352-5267. Disputes shall be resolved by a single neutral arbitrator, and both parties shall have a reasonable opportunity to participate in the selection of the arbitrator. If you wish, you may appear at the arbitration by phone. The arbitrator is bound by the terms of this agreement.
2. Pre-Arbitration Steps and Notice. Before submitting a claim for arbitration, you agree to try, for sixty (60) days, to resolve any dispute informally by contacting us at customer.inquires@ea.epson.com. Please include your name, address and contact information, the facts giving rise to the dispute, and the relief requested. You agree to act in good faith to resolve the dispute, but if you and Epson do not reach a resolution within the sixty (60) days, you may commence an arbitration."
|Epson Estore Terms and Conditions, Section E<ref>{{Cite web |title=Estore Terms and Conditions |url=https://epson.com/estore-terms-and-conditions |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251220014456/https://epson.com/estore-terms-and-conditions |archive-date=2025-12-20 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Epson US}}</ref>
|"You may elect to opt-out (exclude yourself) from the final, binding, individual arbitration procedure and waiver of class and representative proceedings specified in this agreement by sending a written letter to Epson America, Inc., ATTN: Legal Department, 3131 Katella Avenue, Los Alamitos, CA 90720, within thirty (30) days of your purchase of the Epson products and/or services that specifies (i) your name, (ii) your mailing address, and (iii) your request to be excluded from the final, binding individual arbitration procedure and waiver of class and representative proceedings specified in this Section E. In the event that you opt-out consistent with the procedure set forth above, all other terms shall continue to apply, including the requirement to provide notice prior to litigation."
|"Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may bring an individual action in a small claims court of your state or municipality if the action is within that court’s jurisdiction and is pending only in that court.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we also both agree that you or we may bring suit in court to enjoin infringement or other misuse of trademark, patent infringement, copyright, or trade secret."

If any provision in this Section E is found to be unenforceable, that provision shall be severed with the remainder of this agreement remaining in full force and effect. The foregoing shall not apply to the prohibition against class or representative actions. This means that if Section 9 (below) is found to be unenforceable, the entire Section E (but only Section E) shall be null and void."
|-
|[[GE Appliances]]
|GE Appliances, a Haier Company
|"Any disputes or claims arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, or your use of the GE Appliances Store or purchase of GE Appliances products or services shall be governed by Delaware law. All disputes arising hereunder, including any disputes involving third parties, shall be arbitrated, except for claims by GE Appliances for breach of confidentiality."
|GE Appliances Terms of Use, Chapter 16<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms of Use |url=https://www.geappliances.com/privacy/terms.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260105121431/https://www.geappliances.com/privacy/terms.htm |archive-date=2026-01-05 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=GE Appliances}}</ref>
|None
|
|-
|Google Devices
|[[Google|Google LLC]]
|"If any dispute arises that relates to these Arbitration Terms or your device(s), related accessories or related subscription services for your Google device (if applicable) (“Google Device”) (regardless of the type of dispute, but subject to a few exceptions below), you and Google LLC (“Google”) agree to resolve it through binding arbitration. Arbitration is less formal than a lawsuit in court and uses a neutral arbitrator instead of a judge or jury, but arbitrators can award the same damages and remedies that a court can award. These Arbitration Terms are subject to and governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”) and are intended to be broadly interpreted. They include, for example:
any disputes regarding the design, performance, features, or functionality of your Google Device;

any disputes regarding your use of your Google Device;

any disputes regarding updates, modifications, or upgrades to your Google Device;

any disputes based on the Google Device warranty or based on device defects whether or not the Google Device is under warranty;

and these Arbitration Terms apply:

whether your dispute is with Google, its subsidiaries, affiliates or parent company, or any suppliers or service providers involved with the Google Device, and their officers, directors, employees, agents and successors; and

regardless of the legal theory on which you base your claim (such as breach of warranty, breach of contract, negligence, etc.).

For disputes or claims relating to your Google Device, these Arbitration Terms supersede any terms regarding dispute resolution in any other agreement between you and Google and contain the whole agreement between us with respect to disputes or claims relating to your Google Device."
|Google Arbitration Agreement Support Page<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-12 |title=Google Arbitration Agreement — Devices, Related Accessories, and Related Subscription Services - Google Store Help |url=https://support.google.com/store/answer/9427031?hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251003232746/https://support.google.com/store/answer/9427031 |archive-date=2025-10-03 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Google Store Support}}</ref>
|"You have the right to return your Google Device or opt out of these Arbitration Terms if you don’t agree with these Arbitration Terms, unless you previously agreed to an arbitration provision in connection with your purchase. If you decide to return your Google Device, you must return it within 30 days of activating your Google Device for the first time (unless a longer period is required by applicable law), unused, with the original packaging, to the seller from whom you purchased it, and you will receive a full refund. If you decide to keep your Google Device but opt out of these Arbitration Terms, you must do so by notifying Google within 30 days of activating your Google Device for the first time (unless a longer period is required by applicable law) by following the instructions at g.co/devicearbitration/optout"
|"These terms (“Arbitration Terms”) apply only if you are a user located in the United States. "
"2. Exceptions. However, you and Google: (a) may still bring an individual action in small claims court; (b) may still pursue an enforcement action through a federal, state, or local agency if that action is available; and (c) must file suit in court to address an intellectual property rights infringement claim (as set forth in Section 12 below). Also, nothing in these Arbitration Terms bars either of us from bringing issues to the attention of federal, state, or local agencies."
|-
|Grainger
|[https://www.grainger.com/ W.W. Grainger, Inc.]
|"Any dispute of any sort that might arise between Grainger and Customer, including any matters or disputes relating to or arising from the purchase or use of any product, service, or information offered or made available through Grainger, or arising from or relating to any communication between Customer and Grainger or its agents, '''will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, and solely on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated or representative action,''' except that Customer may assert claims in small claims court if Customer’s claims qualify."
|Section I.B of the Terms of Sale<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-03 |title=Terms of Sale - Grainger Industrial Supply |url=https://www.grainger.com/content/mc/policies/terms-of-sale |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Grainger}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|Hytale
|Hypixel Studios Canada
|"To the extent permitted by applicable laws of the jurisdiction where you are habitually resident, all Disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Service, or the Game shall be determined exclusively by binding arbitration. The terms of this Section will also apply to any claims asserted by you against any present or future parent or affiliated entity of Hypixel Studios Canada to the extent that any such claims fall within the definition of Dispute. The only Disputes not covered by this Section 15 are: (a) claims regarding the infringement, protection or validity of your, Hypixel Studios Canada's or Hypixel Studios Canada's licensors' trade secrets, copyright, trademark or patent rights; (b) individual claims filed in small claims court within its jurisdictional limits; (c) claims for public injunctive relief where applicable law requires court adjudication; and (d) any and all Disputes arising out of or relating to the class action waiver, including, but not limited to, any claim that all or part of the class action waiver is unenforceable, unconscionable, illegal, void, or voidable. To the extent the parties have related arbitrable and non-arbitrable disputes, the arbitrable disputes shall proceed first in arbitration and the non-arbitrable disputes shall be stayed, and any applicable statutes of limitations tolled, pending completion of the arbitration."
|Section 15 of Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms of Service - Hytale |url=https://hytale.com/terms-of-service |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260119193922/https://hytale.com/terms-of-service |archive-date=2026-01-19 |access-date=2026-01-22 |website=Hytale}}</ref>
|"You may opt out of arbitration by sending written notice to arbitration-optout@hytale.com within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms. Your written notification must include your (a) full legal name, mailing address, and phone number; (b) Account username and the e-mail address associated with your Account; and (c) a clear statement that you do not wish to resolve disputes through arbitration. Any opt-out notification received after the deadline described in this Section 15.13 will be invalid. If you opt out, Disputes will be resolved in the courts specified in Section 16."
|
|-
|[[Instagram]]
|[[Meta|Meta Platforms Inc.]]
|"Except as provided below, you and we agree that any cause of action, legal claim, or dispute between you and us arising out of or related to these Terms or Instagram ("claim(s)") must be resolved by arbitration on an individual basis. [[Class action|Class actions]] and class arbitrations are not permitted; you and we may bring a claim only on your own behalf and cannot seek relief that would affect other Instagram users."
|Section 7.4 of the Terms of Use<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms of Use |url=https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=Instagram Help Center |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128081034/https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|[[Itch.io]]
|Itch.io
|"You and company agree not to bring or participate in a class, collective, or representative action, private attorney general action or collective arbitration, even if arbitration procedures or rules would otherwise allow one."
|Section 15 of Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |title=itch.io Terms of Service |url=https://itch.io/docs/legal/terms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260120012047/https://itch.io/docs/legal/terms |archive-date=2026-01-20 |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=itch.io}}</ref>
|
|No forced arbitration; revokes right to class-action lawsuit.
|-
|Kobo
|Rakuten Kobo Inc.
|" If a Dispute cannot be resolved through negotiations during the Initial Dispute Resolution Period, then either you or Kobo may elect to have the Dispute finally and exclusively resolved by binding arbitration, unless an exception applies as stated below."
|Section 13 of [https://authorize.kobo.com/us/en/terms/termsofuse Terms of Service]
|"You have the right to opt out and not be bound by the Dispute Resolution and Individual Arbitration Agreement in this Section 13 by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to the following email address: kobo-legal-dept@mail.rakuten.com, using the subject line “Arbitration Opt-Out.” The notice must be sent within 30 days of the date on which you agree to these Terms of Use; otherwise, you shall be bound to arbitrate disputes in accordance with the terms of this Section 13. If you opt out of these arbitration provisions, Kobo will also not be bound by them."
|Added November 2025
|-
|[[LG|LG Electronics]]
|LG Electronics USA Inc.
|"Upon failure to resolve the dispute during the 30 day period after sending written notice to LG, you and LG agree to resolve any claims between us only by binding arbitration on an individual basis, unless you opt out as provided below. Any dispute between you and LG shall not be combined or consolidated with a dispute involving any other person's or entity's product or claim. More specifically, without limitation of the foregoing, any dispute between you and LG shall not under any circumstances proceed as part of a class or representative action. Instead of arbitration, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court, but that small claims court action may not be brought on a class or representative basis."
|LG USA Arbitration Agreement<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-12 |title=Arbitration |url=https://www.lg.com/us/arbitration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708172359/https://www.lg.com/us/arbitration |archive-date=2025-07-08 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=LG USA}}</ref>
|"You may opt out of this dispute resolution procedure. If you opt out, neither you nor LG can require the other to participate in an arbitration proceeding. To opt out, you must send notice to LG no later than 30 calendar days from the date of the first consumer purchaser's purchase of the product by either: (i) sending an e-mail to optout@lge.com, with the subject line: "Arbitration Opt Out" or (ii) calling 1-800-980-2973. You must include in the opt out e-mail or provide by telephone: (a) your name and address; (b) the date on which the product was purchased; (c) the product model name or model number; and (d) the serial number (the serial number can be found (i) on the product; or (ii) online by accessing <nowiki>https://www.lg.com/us/support</nowiki> and clicking on “How do I find my model number?”
You may only opt out of the dispute resolution procedure in the manner described above (that is, by e-mail or telephone); no other form of notice will be effective to opt out of this dispute resolution procedure. Opting out of this dispute resolution procedure will not affect the coverage of the Limited Warranty in any way, and you will continue to enjoy the full benefits of the Limited Warranty. If you keep this product and do not opt out, then you accept all terms and conditions of the arbitration provision described above."
|Information provided is for US customers. For Canada consumers, detailed information on arbitration is available at [http://www.lg.com/ca_en/arbitration www.lg.com/ca_en/arbitration]
|-
|Lyft
|Lyft
|"YOU AND LYFT MUTUALLY AGREE TO WAIVE OUR RESPECTIVE RIGHTS TO RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES IN A COURT OF LAW BY A JUDGE OR JURY AND AGREE TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE BY ARBITRATION, as set forth below. This agreement to arbitrate ("Arbitration Agreement") is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act ("FAA"), 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16, including both the FAA's procedural and substantive provisions. If the FAA is inapplicable for any reason, then this Arbitration Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, including the procedural and substantive provisions of Del. Code tit. 10, § 5701 et seq., without regard to choice of law principles. For the avoidance of doubt, a court may neither refuse to enforce this Arbitration Agreement, nor refuse to stay arbitration proceedings, pursuant to state law that is inconsistent with the FAA or Delaware law (including, for example, pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure § 1281.2(c)). This Arbitration Agreement survives after the Agreement terminates or your relationship with Lyft ends. ANY ARBITRATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS; CLASS ARBITRATIONS AND CLASS ACTIONS ARE NOT PERMITTED. Except as expressly provided below, this Arbitration Agreement applies to all Claims (defined below) between you and Lyft (as defined above) as well as between you and our successors and assigns, employees, agents or shareholders. This Arbitration Agreement also applies to claims between you and Lyft's service providers, including but not limited to background check providers and payment processors; and such service providers shall be considered intended third-party beneficiaries of this Arbitration Agreement."
|Section 18 of [https://www.lyft.com/terms#tos-dispute-resolution-and-arbitration-agreement Terms of Service]
|"In order to be effective, (A) the writing must clearly indicate your intent to opt out of this Arbitration Agreement with respect to Driver Claims that are not part of a Pending Settlement Action, (B) the writing must include the name, phone number, and email address associated with your User Account, and (C) the email containing the signed writing must be sent within 30 days after the date this Agreement is executed by you. Should you not opt out within the 30-day period, you and Lyft shall be bound by the terms of this Arbitration Agreement in full (including with respect to Driver Claims that are not part of a Pending Settlement Action). As provided in Section 17(k) above, any opt out that you submit shall not apply to any Driver Claims that are part of a Pending Settlement Action and your Driver Claims in any such Pending Settlement Action shall continue to be governed by the arbitration provisions that are contained in the applicable Lyft Terms of Use that you agreed to prior to the effective date of this Agreement."
|
|-
|Meetup.com
|Bending Spoons US Inc.
|"If you have a dispute with Meetup, you agree to try to work it out directly with us first. If we can’t work it out, with limited exceptions, you must submit any dispute with us to a neutral arbitrator instead of taking the claim to a court of law. Claims can only be brought individually, and not as part of a class action. Members based in the European Union may have additional or different rights, as provided by applicable law."
|Section 9 of Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms of Service - Meetup |url=https://help.meetup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360027447252-Terms-of-Service |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260118004252/https://help.meetup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360027447252-Terms-of-Service |archive-date=2026-01-18 |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=Meetup}}</ref>
|"'''You may decline to resolve disputes through arbitration by emailing us at arbitration-opt-out@meetup.com within 30 days of the date you first agree to this Agreement.''' Your email must include your full name, residential address, the email address registered to your Meetup account, and a clear statement that you want to opt out of arbitration. If you opt out according to this process, then Section 9.2 of this Agreement does not apply to you. This opt-out does not affect any other sections of this Agreement, such as Sections 9.3 (Exceptions), 9.5 (Class Action Waiver), 11.5 (Governing Law), 11.6 (Judicial Forum), and 11.7 (Time for Filing)."
|
|-
|Mint Mobile
|[[T-Mobile US|T-Mobile US, Inc.]]
|Dispute Resolution. BY ACCEPTING THESE T&CS, YOU ARE AGREEING TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE WITH US THROUGH INDIVIDUAL BINDING ARBITRATION OR SMALL CLAIMS DISPUTE PROCEDURES, AND YOU ARE WAIVING YOUR RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL AND TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. MINT MOBILE AND YOU EACH AGREE THAT, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BELOW, ANY AND ALL CLAIMS OR DISPUTES WILL BE RESOLVED BY INDIVIDUAL BINDING ARBITRATION OR IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT.
|Section 2 of the Plan Terms & Conditions<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms & Conditions |url=https://www.mintmobile.com/plan-terms-and-conditions/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=Mint Mobile |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251216221012/https://www.mintmobile.com/plan-terms-and-conditions/ |archive-date=16 Dec 2025}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|[[Miku]]
|Miku
|You and we agree that any dispute, claim or controversy, including those known or unknown that may be later discovered, arising out of or relating to these Terms, other agreements on the Services, or the Privacy Policy, or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation or validity thereof, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this agreement to arbitrate, shall be either determined by binding arbitration in New Jersey before one arbitrator or submitted to small claims court in New Jersey. If the arbitrator finds this location to be unreasonably burdensome to you, a new location may be selected or arbitration may be conducted over the phone, using video conferencing, or similar. You may be entitled to an in-person hearing near your place of residence. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. This clause shall not preclude parties from seeking provisional remedies in aid of arbitration from a court of appropriate jurisdiction. Any arbitration arising out of or related to these Terms shall be conducted in accordance with the expedited procedures set forth in the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures as those Rules exist on the effective date of these Terms, including Rules 16.1 and 16.2 of those Rules.
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20250713172646/https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc28 Miku Terms of Service]
|
|
|-
|Motorola
|[[Motorola]]
|"Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to these terms or any products or services sold or distributed through this site will be resolved by binding arbitration, instead of in court. "
|Motorola Terms of Sale<ref>{{Cite web |title=Motorola Terms of Sale |url=https://www.motorola.com/us/en/legal/terms-of-sale |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251217034131/https://www.motorola.com/us/en/legal/terms-of-sale |archive-date=2025-12-17 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Motorola}}</ref>
|"If you do not want this Arbitration provision to apply, you may reject it by mailing or emailing a written rejection notice which describes this Arbitration provision, includes your name, address, phone number, device, and device serial number, date of purchase, and tells Motorola that you are rejecting this Arbitration provision to: arbitration@motorola.com. A rejection notice is only effective if it is signed by you and Motorola receives the notice within 30 days of purchase. If you do not reject this Arbitration provision within this 30 day time period, you will not be able to reject it at a later date. If you reject this provision, that does not affect any other provision of these terms or your ability to use the device. If you do not reject this Arbitration provision, it will be effective as of the date of purchase."
|"If any part of this arbitration provision is deemed to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal (other than that claims will not be arbitrated on a class or representative basis), or otherwise conflicts with the rules and procedures established by JAMS, then the balance of this arbitration provision shall remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with its terms as if the invalid, unenforceable, illegal or conflicting provision were not contained herein. If, however, the portion that is deemed invalid, unenforceable or illegal is that claims will not be arbitrated on a class or representative basis, then the entirety of this arbitration provision shall be null and void, and neither claimant nor Motorola shall be entitled to arbitrate their dispute"
|-
|[[PayPal]]
|PayPal Holdings, Inc.
|You and PayPal agree that any claim or dispute at law or equity that has arisen or may arise between you and us will be resolved in accordance with the Agreement to Arbitrate provisions set forth below. Please read this information carefully. Among other things it:

*Affects your and our rights and will impact how claims between you and us are resolved, including your and our agreement to waive the right to trial by jury.

*Includes a Prohibition of Class and Representative Actions and Non-Individualized Relief pursuant to which you agree to waive your right to participate in a class action lawsuit against us.
*Requires you to follow the Opt-Out Procedure to opt-out of the Agreement to Arbitrate by mailing us a written notice that must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the date you accept this user agreement for the first time.
|"Agreement to Arbitrate" section of the PAYPAL USER AGREEMENT (US version)<ref>{{Cite web |title=PAYPAL USER AGREEMENT |url=https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/useragreement-full |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=PayPal US |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128144437/https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/useragreement-full |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref>
|Mail within 30 days
|
|-
|[[Persona]]
|Persona Identities, Inc
|YOU (IF YOUR ARE A RESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES) AND PERSONA IDENTITIES, INC., INCLUDING ITS PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, SUCCESSORS, AND ASSIGNS (“COMPANY”) AGREE THAT ANY PROCEEDINGS TO RESOLVE OR LITIGATE ANY DISPUTE WILL BE CONDUCTED SOLELY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, AND THAT NEITHER YOU NOR COMPANY WILL SEEK TO HAVE ANY DISPUTE HEARD AS A CLASS ACTION, A REPRESENTATIVE ACTION, A COLLECTIVE ACTION, A PRIVATE ATTORNEY-GENERAL ACTION, OR IN ANY PROCEEDING IN WHICH YOU OR COMPANY ACTS OR PROPOSES TO ACT IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY. YOU AND COMPANY FURTHER AGREE THAT NO PROCEEDING WILL BE JOINED, CONSOLIDATED, OR COMBINED WITH ANOTHER PROCEEDING WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF YOU, COMPANY, AND ALL PARTIES TO ANY SUCH PROCEEDING. THIS CLASS ACTION WAIVER COVERS ALL DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND COMPANY AND ALSO INCLUDES ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN YOU AND ANY OFFICER, DIRECTOR, BOARD MEMBER, AGENT, EMPLOYEE, VENDOR, AFFILIATE, OR CLIENT OF COMPANY, IF COMPANY COULD BE LIABLE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FOR SUCH DISPUTE.
|"Class Action Waiver - US Residents Only"<ref>{{Cite web |author=Persona |date=18 Nov 2025 |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://withpersona.com/legal/privacy-policy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/IOE0U |archive-date=2026-02-24 |access-date=24 Feb 2026 |website=Persona}}</ref>
|None
|THE TERM “DISPUTE” SHALL BE INTERPRETED AS BROADLY AS PERMITTED UNDER THE LAW AND SHALL APPLY TO ALL PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE LEGAL DISPUTES AND LEGAL CLAIMS BETWEEN YOU AND COMPANY THAT ARE NOW IN EXISTENCE OR THAT MAY ARISE IN THE FUTURE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO LEGAL DISPUTES OR LEGAL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING IN ANY WAY TO THESE TERMS, THE COLLECTION OF FACIAL SCANS OR BIOMETRIC INFORMATION, THE PRIVACY POLICY OR COMPANY’S SERVICES; YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH COMPANY; YOUR USE OF ANY COMPANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE; COMPANY’S CONDUCT; AND ANY FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL STATUTE, LAW, RULE, REGULATION OR ORDINANCE APPLICABLE TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND COMPANY AS TO WHICH A COURT WOULD BE AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO GRANT RELIEF IF THE CLAIM WERE SUCCESSFUL (“DISPUTE” OR “DISPUTES”).
|-
|Phreeli
|Phreeli Company
|You understand and agree that, by accepting this Agreement and using the Services, you waive the right to bring a claim against Phreeli in court or in front of a jury. You also waive the right to participate as a class representative or class member on any class claim that either side may have against the other, including class arbitrations or any consolidation of individual arbitrations.

To the maximum extent permitted under law, any claim, dispute, or controversy of whatever nature arising out of or relating to this Agreement and/or the Services must be resolved by final and binding arbitration under the American Arbitration Association’s (“AAA”) Rules for Arbitration of Consumer-Related Disputes. [...]

Despite any provision of applicable law, the arbitrator will not have power to award damages, remedies, or awards that conflict with this Agreement. The Subscriber agrees that regardless of any statute or law to the contrary, any claim or cause of action arising out of, related to, or connected with the use of Phreeli’s Services or this Agreement must be filed within one (1) year after that claim of action came to be or it will be forever banned. Unless the Subscriber and Phreeli agree otherwise, any arbitration hearings between Subscriber and Phreeli will take place in Sussex County, Delaware.

If any part of this arbitration clause is found to be unenforceable or unlawful for any reason, the unenforceable or unlawful parts should be removed from this Agreement. The removal of the unenforceable or unlawful provision should have no impact whatsoever on the rest of this arbitration clause or the parties’ ability to seek arbitration of any remaining claims on an individual basis under the arbitration clause. To the extent that any claims move forward on a class, collective, consolidated, or representative basis, those claims must be litigated in a civil court of competent jurisdiction and not in arbitration, and the parties agree that litigation of those claims shall be stayed pending the outcome of any individual claims in arbitration. These arbitration provisions will survive the termination of the Subscriber’s relationship with Phreeli.
|"DISPUTES" section of the Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms of Service |url=https://www.phreeli.com/terms-of-service |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=Phreeli |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113030937/https://www.phreeli.com/terms-of-service |archive-date=13 Jan 2026}}</ref>
|None within the Terms of Service
|
|-

|Powell's Books
|Powell's Books, Inc.
|"Any dispute arising out of or relating in any way to your use of this website or the purchase of merchandise from Powell's will be resolved by binding arbitration. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator in the city of Portland, Oregon, USA, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA"). No claims of any other parties may be joined or otherwise combined in the arbitration proceeding."
|"Arbitration of Disputes" section of the Powell's Books, Inc. Website Terms and Conditions of Use<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms of Use |url=https://www.powells.com/info/terms-of-use |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=Powell's Books |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260103191238/https://www.powells.com/info/terms-of-use |archive-date=3 Jan 2026}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|[[Proton]] Account, protonvpn.com, proton.me
|Proton
|"These Terms of Service contain a class action waiver as well as an arbitration provision, which requires you to arbitrate any claims (with certain exceptions) you may have on an individual basis. Arbitration on an individual basis means that you will not have, and that you waive, the right for a judge or jury to decide your claims, and that you may not proceed in a class, consolidated, or representative capacity in any forum, as described in more detail below."
|Section 13.1 of [https://proton.me/legal/terms Terms of Service]
|
|
|-
|Redbubble
|Articore Group Limited
|"You agree that all Disputes, except those mentioned in the very next sentence, shall be resolved through binding arbitration, subject to the limitations described in Sections C and D, below. Disputes that may be brought in small claims court are not subject to arbitration."
|Section IV of [https://www.redbubble.com/agreement User Agreement]
|
|
|-
|Redfin
|Redfin Corporation
|"2.13.9.2. ''Binding Arbitration and Class Action Waiver'''''.''' Subject to Section 2.13.9.3, you and the Redfin Companies agree that any Claim between you and any Redfin Company or Redfin Companies will be resolved '''solely by binding, individual arbitration and not in a class, representative or consolidated action or proceeding.''' This Section 2.13.9 is governed, in all respects, both procedurally and substantively, by the United States Federal Arbitration Act. You and the applicable Redfin Companies agree that you are each waiving the right to a trial by jury or to participate in a class action."
|Section 2.13.9 of the Terms of Use.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-29 |title=Terms of Use |url=https://www.redfin.com/about/terms-of-use |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260217072824/https://www.redfin.com/about/terms-of-use |archive-date=2026-02-17 |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=Redfin}}</ref>
|"In addition, '''you have the right to opt out of arbitration entirely and litigate any Claim''' if you provide the Redfin Company with whom you are entering into this Agreement with personally signed, written notice of your desire to do so by email at legal@redfin.com or by a personally signed written notice sent by certified mail to Redfin at 1099 Stewart Street, Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98101, within thirty (30) days following the date you first agree to this Agreement."
|
|-
|[[Roku]] website, channel, account, or any Roku product or service
|Roku, Inc.
|"All claims arising out of or relating to your Roku account or any Roku product or service will be resolved exclusively through arbitration, according to these Dispute Resolution Terms, unless you opted out or another exception applies. We both agree that all claims may only be conducted on an individual basis (and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action)."
|[https://docs.roku.com/published/tos/en/us Website Terms of Use], [https://docs.roku.com/published/therokuchannel-userstermsandconditions/en/us Channel Terms of Use]
|
|
|-
|[[Sony]] Playstation Network, PSN Content, PSN Devices
|Sony Entities
|"You and the Sony entity with which you have a dispute agree that arbitration will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class or representative action or as a named or unnamed member in a class, consolidated, representative or private attorney general action, unless both you and the Sony entity with which you have a dispute specifically agree to do so in writing following initiation of the arbitration."
|Section 14 of [https://www.playstation.com/en-us/legal/psn-terms-of-service/ Terms of Service]
|
|
|-
|[[Spotify]]
|Spotify Technology
|"You and Spotify agree that each may bring claims against the other in arbitration or litigation only in your or its individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, private attorney general, or representative action. "
|Arbitration Agreement under Section 6 of [https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/ Terms of Use]
|
|
|-
|Spreadshirt
|Spreadshirt, Inc.
|"The parties agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to this agreement must be submitted to confidential binding arbitration in Boston, Massachusetts, except that Spreadshirt may seek injunctive or other appropriate relief in any state or federal court in Massachusetts if you have violated or threatened to violate the intellectual property rights of Spreadshirt or a third party, or any term of any agreement you have with Spreadshirt"
|Section 13 of [https://www.spreadshirt.com/terms-and-conditions-for-customers-C2377 General Terms and Conditions]
|
|
|-
|[[Ticketmaster Entertainment, LLC|Ticketmaster]]
|Ticketmaster Entertainment, LLC
|"The parties agree that, except as provided below, any dispute, claim, or controversy relating in any way to the terms or your use of the marketplace, which includes all products or services sold, distributed, issued, or serviced by or through us—irrespective of when that dispute, claim, or controversy arose—will be resolved solely by binding arbitration as set forth in the terms, rather than in court. By agreeing to arbitration, the parties agree to waive any right to a jury trial and agree that you and we may bring claims against each other only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class proceeding."
|Section 14 of [https://legal.ticketmaster.com/terms-of-use/ Terms of Use]
|
|
|-
|Vizio Products and Services
|Vizio, Inc.
|"BY USING YOUR VIZIO PRODUCT, YOU AGREE TO THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER, SUBJECT TO YOUR RIGHT TO OPT-OUT AS DESCRIBED BELOW. UNLESS YOU HAVE BROUGHT AN ELIGIBLE CLAIM IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT OR HAVE OPTED OUT AS DESCRIBED BELOW, ANY CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM RELATING IN ANY WAY TO YOUR VIZIO PRODUCT, INCLUDING ANY CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OF SERVICE, ANY WARRANTY, THE COLLECTION, USE OR SHARING OF CUSTOMER OR VIEWING INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM A VIZIO PRODUCT, A BREACH OF THESE TERMS OF SERVICE, OR THE VIZIO PRODUCT’S SALE, CONDITION OR PERFORMANCE, WILL BE SETTLED BY BINDING ARBITRATION ADMINISTERED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION AND CONDUCTED BY A SINGLE ARBITRATOR APPOINTED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES AND ITS SUPPLEMENTARY PROCEDURES FOR CONSUMER-RELATED DISPUTES. "
|Vizio Terms of Service<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-12 |title=Product Terms of Service |url=https://www.vizio.com/en/terms/terms-of-service |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251119145151/https://www.vizio.com/en/terms/terms-of-service |archive-date=2025-11-19 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Vizio}}</ref>
|"IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE BOUND BY THE BINDING ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER, THEN: (1) you must notify VIZIO in writing within sixty (60) days of the date that you purchased the product; (2) your written notification must be mailed to VIZIO at 39 Tesla, Irvine, CA 92618, Attn: Legal Department or submitted electronically via legal@vizio.com; and (3) your written notification must include (a) your name, (b) your address, (c) the date you purchased the product, and (d) a clear statement that you wish to opt out of the binding arbitration agreement. Please note you may not opt out of the Class Action Waiver.
Opting out of this Binding Arbitration Agreement will not affect the coverage of the Limited Warranty in any way, and you will continue to enjoy the benefits of the Limited Warranty.

In addition, you or VIZIO may pursue a claim in small claims court in your county of residence (if in the United States) or in Orange County, California. In such case the provisions of the section titled “Binding Arbitration Agreement; Class Action Waiver (U.S. Residents)” will not apply."
|U.S. Residents Only
|-
|Western Digital Products and Services, and other select products and services chosen by WDT
|Western Digital Technologies, Inc. and/or its affiliates
|"You and WDT agree that, failing informal resolution, any Disputes shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration pursuant to the terms set forth in this Agreement. Arbitration means that you waive your right to a judge or jury in a court proceeding and your grounds for appeal are limited."
|Section 11 of [https://www.westerndigital.com/legal/terms-and-conditions-of-sale-consumer Terms of Sale]
|
|
|-
|Yahoo Inc., and all of its brands, and combined products and services (including AOL brands)
|Yahoo Inc.
|"You and us both agree to resolve any and all disputes, controversies or claims that in any way arise out of or relate to these terms or from any services you receive from us (or from any advertising for any such services), including any disputes between you and our employees or agents (“dispute(s)”), only by arbitration on an individual basis."
|Section 14b of [https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/otos/index.html Terms of Service]
|
|
|-
|ZeniMax, Inc. and subsidiaries; purchase, receipt, use of video games, and other services made available by ZeniMax
|ZeniMax Media, Inc.
|"You and ZeniMax agree that all Disputes (defined below) shall be resolved only by binding, individual arbitration under the U.S. Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”). You and ZeniMax are giving up the right to sue in court before a judge or jury. Instead, a neutral arbitrator decides the Dispute; the arbitrator's decision is final, subject to limited review under the FAA."
|Section 15 of [https://www.zenimax.com/en/legal/terms-of-service Terms of Service]
|Mail within 30 days of first agreeing
|Exception: residents of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Norway (collectively, the "'''EEA'''"), Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, or Turkey.
Class action and mass arbitration waiver.
|-
|[[Zoom]]
|Zoom Communications, Inc., and affiliates
|"You agree to resolve certain disputes with Zoom through binding arbitration (“Arbitration Agreement”). Arbitration means that an arbitrator, and not a judge or a jury, will decide the dispute. The parties expressly waive the right to bring or participate in any kind of class, collective, or mass action, private attorney general action, or any other representative action."
|Section 27 of [https://www.zoom.com/en/trust/terms/?lang=null Terms of Service]
|
|
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Lists]]

CAPTCHA

2026-04-09T15:17:35Z

Cunningcoder: Expand consumer impact summary subtext

{{ProductCargo
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|Description=CAPTCHA is an interactive authentication system to deter Internet bots and spamming. Its efficacy is debatable, with concerns regarding privacy and accessibility.
}}

'''Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart''' or {{Wplink|CAPTCHA}} was invented in 2000 as a means to deter {{Wplink|Internet bot|bots}} and spam on publicly available websites.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Burling |first=Stacey |title=CAPTCHA: The story behind those squiggly computer letters |url=https://phys.org/news/2012-06-captcha-story-squiggly-letters.html |website=Phys.org |date=15 Jun 2012 |access-date= |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617130133/https://m.phys.org/news/2012-06-captcha-story-squiggly-letters.html |archive-date=17 Jun 2012}}</ref> CAPTCHA tests aim to confirm that the visitor of a website or service is human, usually by presenting a challenge which humans can solve easily, but computer programs cannot. Primary CAPTCHAs used today are [[Google]]'s [[reCAPTCHA]] and hCaptcha.

==Consumer impact summary==
<blockquote>"It's an arms race between site owners and spammers; users lose." - Jeremy Elson<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>

According to a study by Searles et al., "...it can be concluded that reCAPTCHAv2 presents no real security.".<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |last=Searles |first=Andrew |last2=Prapty |first2=Renascence Tarafder |last3=Tsudik |first3=Gene |date=21 Nov 2023 |title=Dazed & Confused: A Large-Scale Real-World User Study of reCAPTCHAv2 |url=https://arxiv.org/pdf/2311.10911 |journal=Preprint}}</ref> Datadome found that half of passed CAPTCHAs were completed by bots.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tester |first=Paige |date=18 July 2022 |title=50% of passed reCAPTCHAs are completed by bots? |url=https://datadome.co/bot-management-protection/50-passed-recaptchas-completed-by-bots/ |url-status=alive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260219130955/https://datadome.co/bot-management-protection/50-passed-recaptchas-completed-by-bots/ |archive-date=19 Feb 2026 |access-date=9 Apr 2026 |website=DataDome}}</ref> In response, the latest CAPTCHAs are using aggregated data of browsing history to rate a user's "humanness", presenting concerns around tracking and privacy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 April 2026 |title=How CAPTCHAs work {{!}} What does CAPTCHA mean? |url=https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/bots/how-captchas-work/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260401170306/https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/bots/how-captchas-work/ |archive-date=1 April 2026 |access-date=9 April 2026 |website=Cloudflare}}</ref>

===Accessibility===
The {{Wplink|World Wide Web Consortium|World Wide Web Consortium}} (W3C) releases a periodic report on the inaccessibility of CAPTCHA technology. Their 2021 report concluded that "traditional CAPTCHA continues to be challenging for people with disabilities, but also that it is increasingly insecure and arguably now ill-suited to the purpose of distinguishing human individuals from their robotic impersonators."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last1=Hollier |first1=Scott |last2=Sajka |first2=Janina |last3=White |first3=Jason |last4=Cooper |first4=Michael |last5=May |first5=Matt |display-authors=2 |title=Inaccessibility of CAPTCHA |url=https://www.w3.org/TR/turingtest/ |website=W3C |date=16 Dec 2021 |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216162624/https://www.w3.org/TR/turingtest/ |archive-date=16 Dec 2021}}</ref> It is important for websites to be able to keep unwanted bots from accessing their sites, however CAPTCHA may not be the best way to do so.

===Data privacy concerns===
Newer forms of CAPTCHA work by scraping a user's device and behavior for uniquely identifiable information which would indicate a unique human using the service, as opposed to a bot which would have known and repetitive information. Information collected can include screen size, IP address, mouse and touch activity, previous websites visited, etc.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=Lara |title=Google's new CAPTCHA security login raises 'legitimate privacy concerns' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-no-captcha-adtruth-privacy-research-2015-2 |website=Business Insider |date=20 Feb 2015 |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222100003/https://www.businessinsider.com/google-no-captcha-adtruth-privacy-research-2015-2 |archive-date=22 Feb 2015}}</ref>

===Crowdsourcing of labor===
Services such as [[Google]]'s [[reCAPTCHA]] have been found to be using human input to perform transcription work or train machine-learning models without user consent. On 22 January 2015, a Massachusetts class-action lawsuit attempted to argue Google should pay its users for their labor.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Shapiro |first1=Thomas G. |last2=Vallely |first2=Patrick J. |title=''Rojas-Lozano v. Google Inc.'' (3:15-cv-10160) |url=https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1904&context=historical |website=Santa Clara University School of Law Digital Commons |date=22 Jan 2015 |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209093438/https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1904&context=historical |archive-date=9 Feb 2016}}</ref> Google's motion to transfer the case to the Northern District of California was granted 12 August 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mastroianni |first=Mark G. |title=''Rojas-Lozano v. Google Inc.'' (3:15-cv-10160) |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5127913/31/rojas-lozano-v-google-inc/ |website=Court Listener |date=12 Aug 2015 |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260409000656/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5127913/31/rojas-lozano-v-google-inc/ |archive-date=9 Apr 2026}}</ref> where it was dismissed on 3 February 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corley |first=Jacqueline Scott |title=''Rojas-Lozano v. Google, Inc.'' (15-cv-03751-JSC) |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/7318166/rojas-lozano-v-google-inc/ |website=Court Listener |date=3 Feb 2016 |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0409-0933-59/https://www.courtlistener.com:443/opinion/7318166/rojas-lozano-v-google-inc/ |archive-date=9 Apr 2016}}</ref>

==Alternatives==
The W3C also outlined potential consumer-positive alternatives to CAPTCHAs:<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Captcha Alternatives and thoughts |url=https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/wiki/Captcha_Alternatives_and_thoughts |website=W3C wiki |date= |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250903080807/https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/wiki/Captcha_Alternatives_and_thoughts |archive-date=3 Sep 2025}}</ref>

#Honeypot - "Another method to detect automated submissions. The idea behind the honeypot method is as follows: website forms would include a hidden field (by positioning the field off screen). Since spam robots cannot detect a hidden field in the HTML, when data is inserted into this 'honeypot' field, the website administrator would know that the data was not entered by a 'real' user."
#Temporary tokens - after a user passes a CAPTCHA, a token is accepted onto the user's device allowing them to use the associated webservice for a fixed amount of time.
#Multi-factor authentication - using a pre-arranged secondary device to independently authenticate identity.
#[[Biometric authentication]] - facial recognition, fingerprint, retinal scan. This would only be acceptable in an institution with very high security requirements.

<blockquote>"Users should not be forced beyond what is strictly necessary to keep a site secure, e.g., if a honeypot suffices, use a honeypot until evidence of robotic attacks dictates something else." - W3C<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

==See also==
*[[DataDome]]
*[[hCAPTCHA]]
*[[Privacy Pass]]
*[[reCAPTCHA]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Data collection]]
[[Category:Common terms]]

CAPTCHA

2026-04-08T17:46:53Z

Cunningcoder: Fix the summary being boxed. (whoops)

{{ProductCargo
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}}
'''Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart''' or [[wikipedia:CAPTCHA|CAPTCHA]] was invented in 2000 as a means to deter [[wikipedia:Internet_bot|bots]] and [[wikipedia:Spamming|spam]] on publicly available websites.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Burling |first=Stacey |date=15 Jun 2012 |title=CAPTCHA: The story behind those squiggly computer letters |url=https://phys.org/news/2012-06-captcha-story-squiggly-letters.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617130133/https://m.phys.org/news/2012-06-captcha-story-squiggly-letters.html |archive-date=17 Jun 2012 |website=Phys.org}}</ref> CAPTCHA tests aim to confirm that the visitor of a website or service is human, usually by presenting a challenge which humans can solve easily, but computer programs cannot. Primary CAPTCHAs used today are [[Google]]'s [[reCAPTCHA]] and hCaptcha.

==Consumer impact==
<blockquote>"It's an arms race between site owners and spammers; users lose." - Jeremy Elson<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Overall, CAPTCHA technology has been shown to waste human time with only marginal security improvement.<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |last=Searles |first=Andrew |last2=Prapty |first2=Renascence Tarafder |last3=Tsudik |first3=Gene |date=21 Nov 2023 |title=Dazed & Confused: A Large-Scale Real-World User Study of reCAPTCHAv2 |url=https://arxiv.org/pdf/2311.10911 |journal=Preprint}}</ref>{{Citation needed}}

===Accessibility===
The [[wikipedia:World_Wide_Web_Consortium|World Wide Web Consortium]] (W3C) releases a periodic report on the Inaccessibility of CAPTCHA technology. Their 2021 report concluded that "traditional CAPTCHA continues to be challenging for people with disabilities, but also that it is increasingly insecure and arguably now ill suited to the purpose of distinguishing human individuals from their robotic impersonators."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=16 Dec 2021 |title=Inaccessibility of CAPTCHA |url=https://www.w3.org/TR/turingtest/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216162624/https://www.w3.org/TR/turingtest/ |archive-date=16 Dec 2021 |website=W3C}}</ref> It is important for websites to be able to keep unwanted bots from accessing their sites, however CAPTCHA may not be the best way to do so.

===Data privacy concerns===
Newer forms of CAPTCHA work by scraping a user's device and behavior for uniquely identifiable information which would indicate a unique human using the service, as opposed to a bot which would have known and repetitive information. Information collected can include screen size, IP address, mouse and touch activity, previous websites visited, etc.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=Lara |date=20 Feb 2015 |title=Google's new CAPTCHA security login raises 'legitimate privacy concerns' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-no-captcha-adtruth-privacy-research-2015-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222100003/https://www.businessinsider.com/google-no-captcha-adtruth-privacy-research-2015-2 |archive-date=22 Feb 2015 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>{{Citation needed}}

===Crowdsourcing of labor===
Services such as [[Google|Google's]] [[reCAPTCHA]] have been found to be using human input to perform transcription work or train machine learning models without user consent. In 2015, a class-action lawsuit attempted to argue Google should pay its users for their labor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 Jan 2015 |title=Civil Action No. 15-10160-MGM |url=https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1904&context=historical |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209093438/https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1904&context=historical |archive-date=2016-02-09 |website=United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts}}</ref>

==Alternatives==
The W3C also outlined potential consumer-positive alternatives to CAPTCHAs:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Captcha Alternatives and thoughts |url=https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/wiki/Captcha_Alternatives_and_thoughts |website=W3C wiki}}</ref>

#Honeypot - "Another method to detect automated submissions. The idea behind the honeypot method is as follows: website forms would include a hidden field (by positioning the field off screen). Since spam robots cannot detect a hidden field in the HTML, when data is inserted into this 'honeypot' field, the website administrator would know that the data was not entered by a 'real' user."
#Temporary tokens - after a user passes a CAPTCHA, a token is accepted onto the user's device allowing them to use the associated webservice for a fixed amount of time.
#Multi-factor authentication - using a pre-arranged secondary device to independently authenticate identity.
#[[Biometric authentication]] - facial recognition, fingerprint, retinal scan. This would only be acceptable in an institution with very high security requirements.

<blockquote>"Users should not be forced beyond what is strictly necessary to keep a site secure, e.g.,/ if a honeypot suffices, use a honeypot until evidence of robotic attacks dictates something else." - W3C<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

==See also==

*[[DataDome]]
*[[hCAPTCHA]]
*[[Privacy Pass]]
*[[reCAPTCHA]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
[[Category:CAPTCHA]]
[[Category:Data collection]]
[[Category:Common terms]]

CAPTCHA

2026-04-08T17:44:58Z

Cunningcoder: Add to overview section.

{{ProductCargo
|ArticleType=
|Category=
|Company=
|Description=
|InProduction=
|Logo=
|ProductLine=
|ReleaseYear=
|Website=
}} '''Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart''' or [[wikipedia:CAPTCHA|CAPTCHA]] was invented in 2000 as a means to deter [[wikipedia:Internet_bot|bots]] and [[wikipedia:Spamming|spam]] on publicly available websites.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Burling |first=Stacey |date=15 Jun 2012 |title=CAPTCHA: The story behind those squiggly computer letters |url=https://phys.org/news/2012-06-captcha-story-squiggly-letters.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617130133/https://m.phys.org/news/2012-06-captcha-story-squiggly-letters.html |archive-date=17 Jun 2012 |website=Phys.org}}</ref> CAPTCHA tests aim to confirm that the visitor of a website or service is human, usually by presenting a challenge which humans can solve easily, but computer programs cannot. Primary CAPTCHAs used today are [[Google]]'s [[reCAPTCHA]] and hCaptcha.

==Consumer impact==
<blockquote>"It's an arms race between site owners and spammers; users lose." - Jeremy Elson<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Overall, CAPTCHA technology has been shown to waste human time with only marginal security improvement.<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |last=Searles |first=Andrew |last2=Prapty |first2=Renascence Tarafder |last3=Tsudik |first3=Gene |date=21 Nov 2023 |title=Dazed & Confused: A Large-Scale Real-World User Study of reCAPTCHAv2 |url=https://arxiv.org/pdf/2311.10911 |journal=Preprint}}</ref>{{Citation needed}}

===Accessibility===
The [[wikipedia:World_Wide_Web_Consortium|World Wide Web Consortium]] (W3C) releases a periodic report on the Inaccessibility of CAPTCHA technology. Their 2021 report concluded that "traditional CAPTCHA continues to be challenging for people with disabilities, but also that it is increasingly insecure and arguably now ill suited to the purpose of distinguishing human individuals from their robotic impersonators."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=16 Dec 2021 |title=Inaccessibility of CAPTCHA |url=https://www.w3.org/TR/turingtest/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216162624/https://www.w3.org/TR/turingtest/ |archive-date=16 Dec 2021 |website=W3C}}</ref> It is important for websites to be able to keep unwanted bots from accessing their sites, however CAPTCHA may not be the best way to do so.

===Data privacy concerns===
Newer forms of CAPTCHA work by scraping a user's device and behavior for uniquely identifiable information which would indicate a unique human using the service, as opposed to a bot which would have known and repetitive information. Information collected can include screen size, IP address, mouse and touch activity, previous websites visited, etc.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=Lara |date=20 Feb 2015 |title=Google's new CAPTCHA security login raises 'legitimate privacy concerns' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-no-captcha-adtruth-privacy-research-2015-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222100003/https://www.businessinsider.com/google-no-captcha-adtruth-privacy-research-2015-2 |archive-date=22 Feb 2015 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>{{Citation needed}}

===Crowdsourcing of labor===
Services such as [[Google|Google's]] [[reCAPTCHA]] have been found to be using human input to perform transcription work or train machine learning models without user consent. In 2015, a class-action lawsuit attempted to argue Google should pay its users for their labor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 Jan 2015 |title=Civil Action No. 15-10160-MGM |url=https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1904&context=historical |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209093438/https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1904&context=historical |archive-date=2016-02-09 |website=United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts}}</ref>

==Alternatives==
The W3C also outlined potential consumer-positive alternatives to CAPTCHAs:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Captcha Alternatives and thoughts |url=https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/wiki/Captcha_Alternatives_and_thoughts |website=W3C wiki}}</ref>

#Honeypot - "Another method to detect automated submissions. The idea behind the honeypot method is as follows: website forms would include a hidden field (by positioning the field off screen). Since spam robots cannot detect a hidden field in the HTML, when data is inserted into this 'honeypot' field, the website administrator would know that the data was not entered by a 'real' user."
#Temporary tokens - after a user passes a CAPTCHA, a token is accepted onto the user's device allowing them to use the associated webservice for a fixed amount of time.
#Multi-factor authentication - using a pre-arranged secondary device to independently authenticate identity.
#[[Biometric authentication]] - facial recognition, fingerprint, retinal scan. This would only be acceptable in an institution with very high security requirements.

<blockquote>"Users should not be forced beyond what is strictly necessary to keep a site secure, e.g.,/ if a honeypot suffices, use a honeypot until evidence of robotic attacks dictates something else." - W3C<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

==See also==

*[[DataDome]]
*[[hCAPTCHA]]
*[[Privacy Pass]]
*[[reCAPTCHA]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
[[Category:CAPTCHA]]
[[Category:Data collection]]
[[Category:Common terms]]

Bootloader unlocking

2026-02-26T18:38:15Z

Cunningcoder: Impoved tone and grammar to be more formal and consistent. Added some citations and marked where further citations are needed.

{{Incomplete}}{{ToneWarning}}

The bootloader is a special program on a device that loads the operating system when the device is turned on. Bootloaders are typically established by the manufacturer and shipped to retailers and consumers in a "locked" state, where the bootloader can only load the operating system (OS) delivered by the manufacturer. [[wikipedia:Bootloader_unlocking|Unlocking a bootloader]] disables the checks that force the use of a particular operating system, granting the ability to run third-party operating systems such as Linux or [[Android]] without [[Google]] software.

==Background==
Unlocking the bootloader of a smartphone enables the user to install an alternative operating system on the device, also known as a custom ROM.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 Aug 2025 |title=Android ROM |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/android-rom |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223222958/https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/android-rom |archive-date=23 Dec 2024 |website=PCMag}}</ref>

'''Difference from Rooting'''

Rooting a device allows users to bypass restrictions from within the OS, while it is running. Conversely, bootloader unlocking allows rewriting the storage drive where the OS is installed, but does not grant any further abilities after the OS is loaded. Bootloader unlocking does, however, allow users to enable root access, by either manually editing the loaded operating system or using an app to do so automatically.

See [[Jailbreak]] for more info.

==Benefits of unlocked bootloaders==

==='''Better Privacy'''===
Most custom ROMs do not contain any components that send data to manufacturers, Google, or their partner companies.<ref name=":0" /> In some cases, they even contain components that prevent individual apps from doing so, such as:

*[https://doc.e.foundation/support-topics/advanced_privacy_main.html /e/'s Advanced Privacy]
*[https://calyxos.org/docs/tech/datura-details/ CalyxOS's Datura Firewall]
*[https://github.com/iodeOS/ota iodéOS's blocker]

====Workaround Google Play Services====
Default Android systems deeply integrate with [[wikipedia:Google_Play_Services|Google Play Services]] (and [[Google Mobile Services]] (GMS)). This is a system process that requires access to files, contacts, storage, call logs, SMS messages, location, camera, and microphone. Without this process running, many apps will not function.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aragon |first=Jonah |date=21 Jul 2024 |title=Android |url=https://www.privacyguides.org/en/android/#install-a-custom-distribution |url-status=live |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=Privacy Guides |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260131014956/https://www.privacyguides.org/en/android/ |archive-date=31 Jan 2026}}</ref> Alternative systems avoid this process entirely, or use a privacy-preserving workaround such as:

*[https://grapheneos.org/features#sandboxed-google-play GrapheneOS's Sandboxed Google Play]
*[https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/wiki MicroG]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Arielle |date=7 Jun 2019 |title=The Open Source Project That Keeps Google's Hands Off Your Android Data |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-open-source-project-that-keeps-googles-hands-off-your-android-data/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250630130025/https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-open-source-project-that-keeps-googles-hands-off-your-android-data/ |archive-date=30 Jun 2025 |access-date=19 Aug 2025 |website=Vice}}</ref>
*[https://unifiedpush.org/ Unified Push]

==='''Extending device lifespan'''===
Most custom ROMs do not contain [[bloatware]] and can thus be used to extend the longevity of phones that have become unusable due to later updates requiring more performance and storage. Especially on low-end phones, these updates often exhaust the built-in storage after as little as two years.{{Citation needed}} This renders the device slow and unstable, without room for user data. Custom ROMs are typically much smaller than the manufacturer's software.{{Citation needed}} Consequently, many old phones can run even faster with a custom ROM than they did when new, extending their useful lifespan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=By how much do custom roms really extend Phone lifespans? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/gdq2rc/comment/fpj11ay/ |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Reddit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260223033349/https://old.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/gdq2rc/by_how_much_do_custom_roms_really_extend_phone/fpj11ay/ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=Xiaomi Redmi 8a - olivelite with Dual Sim |url=https://community.e.foundation/t/xiaomi-redmi-8a-olivelite-with-dual-sim/29192/12 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=/e/OS Community |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250907145946/https://community.e.foundation/t/xiaomi-redmi-8a-olivelite-with-dual-sim/29192/12 |archive-date=7 Sep 2025}}</ref>

===='''Updates after the manufacturer abandons the device'''====
Low-end devices usually receive only a few years or even months of security updates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Android Update Matrix |url=https://www.androidupdatetracker.com/update-matrix |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Android Update Tracker |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251206020040/https://www.androidupdatetracker.com/update-matrix |archive-date=6 Dec 2025}}</ref> Since most custom ROMs are built by the open-source community, installing one of these custom ROMs allows users to receive security updates for the Android system and default components, such as web browser engines and PDF readers, for as long as custom ROMs are developed. Popular custom ROMs such as LineageOS and GrapheneOS have lasted over 10 years, and are open source, allowing anyone to maintain them and continue their development. <ref>{{Cite web |first=ciwrl |date=2016/12/24 |title=A fork in the road |url=https://www.cyanogenmod.org/blog/a-fork-in-the-road |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225091051/https://www.cyanogenmod.org/blog/a-fork-in-the-road |archive-date=2016-12-25 |access-date=2026/2/26 |website=Cyanogen Mod}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 Feb 2026 |title=History |url=https://grapheneos.org/history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260225034058/https://grapheneos.org/history/ |archive-date=26 Feb 2026 |access-date=26 Feb 2026 |website=GrapheneOS}}</ref>
==='''Control'''===
Some applications cannot be removed easily with the default OS. A custom ROM gives users complete control over what is in their operating system, such as preinstalled apps and system themes. <ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/k2320l/cant_delete_certain_apps_on_android_only_disable/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20230615024140/https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/k2320l/cant_delete_certain_apps_on_android_only_disable/ Archived])</ref>{{Citation needed}}
==Why most bootloaders are locked==

===Security===
A locked bootloader protects the device from an [[wikipedia:Evil_maid_attack|Evil Maid Attack]]. This attack occurs when a person with physical access to a device manipulates the operating system, typically when the device is left unattended or when handed over for inspection by authorities. Locking the bootloader ensures that the operating system remains intact and cannot be altered from the state in which the manufacturer released it.

===DRM and ecosystem control===
Some devices hold [[Digital_rights_management|DRM]] keys, which are deleted when the bootloader is unlocked. Other devices go so far as to wipe proprietary drivers. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Sony wipes TA/ partition |url=https://github.com/melontini/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame/blob/4ca762b08e77034db2a5ceb78703ac4789349ed0/brands/sony/README.md?plain=1#L23 |url-status=live |website=GitHub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260223033412/https://github.com/zenfyrdev/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame/blob/4ca762b08e77034db2a5ceb78703ac4789349ed0/brands/sony/README.md?plain=1 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> This allows manufacturers to force the use of their software and maintain control over devices, preventing unsupported devices from receiving updates, the removal of some apps and services, and the bypassing of other DRM such as the iPhone's component DRM.

===Locks from mobile carriers===
Some mobile carriers have completely restricted the unlocking of bootloaders on specific models of cellphones that they sell to prevent bypassing carrier restrictions.{{Citation needed}}

==Availability==
Unlocking the bootloader is [[Phones that do not allow bootloader unlock|possible on some, but not all, Android devices]].

Apple products such as iPhones do not support unlocking the bootloader, utilizing digital signatures to verify the authenticity of the firmware and bootloader, making bootloader unlocking difficult.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 Feb 2026 |title=Apple |url=https://github.com/zenfyrdev/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame/blob/main/brands/apple/README.md |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260114112736/https://github.com/zenfyrdev/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame/blob/main/brands/apple/README.md |archive-date=14 Jan 2026 |access-date=26 Feb 2026 |website=Github}}</ref> Instead, People jailbreak their iPhones using 3rd party software.<ref>https://www.quora.com/Can-you-install-a-different-operating-system-on-your-iPhone-if-it-was-not-sold-with-one-built-in-from-Apple</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/O0_Aou3eZl8 ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=O0_Aou3eZl8 Archived])</ref>

==Alternative Android-based Operating Systems==
These include, but are not limited to:

*[https://grapheneos.org/ GrapheneOS]
*[https://iode.tech/iodeos/ IodéOS]
*[https://e.foundation/e-os/ /e/OS]
*[https://lineageos.org/ LineageOS]
*[https://calyxos.org/ CalyxOS]

*[https://source.android.com/ AOSP (Android Open Source Project)] , also known as "stock" Android.<ref>https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260115003706/https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm Archived])</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Pratham |date=20 Feb 2024 |title=5 De-Googled Android-based Operating Systems to Free Your Smartphone from Google and other Big Tech |url=https://itsfoss.com/android-distributions-roms/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250707220149/https://itsfoss.com/android-distributions-roms/ |archive-date=7 Jul 2025 |access-date=19 Aug 2025 |website=It's FOSS}}</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Common terms]]