Let's be real: when you download software, sign up for a
website, or buy a new app, you never read the million-page terms and
conditions before hitting "Agree." But do you have any idea what you've
just agreed to?
Cullen Hoback's new documentary Terms and Conditions May Apply
provides some rather unsettling answers to that question. The film,
which premiered at Sundance in January, looks at major Internet
companies like Facebook, Google, Youtube, and Twitter and the user
privacy policies that they have adopted. In effect, it forces viewers to
face the fact that these sites are obtaining personal information and
other data about our lives, selling that intel to other companies, and
even sharing it with the U.S. government.
Terms and Conditions May Apply
Featuring testimonials from the likes of Mark Zuckerberg,
Orson Scott Card, and Moby, the trailer for the movie promises a
fascinating exploration of our online lifestyles and the implications of
every click we make. Also, two thumbs up for the use of Edvard Grieg's
"In the Hall of the Mountain King." (Yes, that song has a name.)
Terms and Conditions May Apply has been making
the rounds in the film festival circuit and is scheduled to play at a
handful of theaters across the country in July. It's unclear, however,
if the film will actually receive a wide release. For now, I'll be
counting down the days until I can add it to the growing list of
documentaries in my Netflix Instant Queue. And when I finally do, the
government will probably know all about it.
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