Educational Media Reviews Online

Award winning filmmaker Cullen Hoback skillfully dissects the fine print behind Internet “terms and conditions,” exposing how big data companies exploit a complacent public.

Privacy policies among Web giants Facebook and Google, for example, do little to protect individuals’ anonymity. They are filled with open-ended statements and contradictory terms designed to give companies carte blanche use of personal data. Even more disturbing, these policies are frequently subject to change without notification.

Another little known fact Hoback uncovers is that the so-called “free” services big data companies provide are often funded by the sale of personal information. It is a business model that relies on people giving up their private data unknowingly or for some trivial incentive.

Even more alarming are the civil liberties issues that arise when the government has easy access to personal information. Although public officials cannot directly obtain a person’s private information, corporations, acting as third parties, can give the data to the government.

Thought-provoking and timely, Terms and Conditions May Apply reveals the pitfalls of living in the Digital Age. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries, it is also an excellent resource for courses in business, ethics, law, and sociology.

In 2013, Terms and Conditions May Apply won best documentary at the Newport Beach International Film Festival. It was also an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival and a “Best of Hotdocs” pick at the Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.