2023-07-15
23 分钟When you make an account online or install an app, you are probably entering into a legally enforceable contract. Even if you never signed anything. These days, we enter into these contracts so often, it can feel like no big deal. But then there are the horror stories like Greg Selden's. He tried to sue AirBnB for racial discrimination while using their site. But he had basically signed away his ability to sue AirBnB when he made an account. That agreement was tucked away in a little red link, something most people might not even bother to click through. But, it wasn't always like this. On today's show, we go back in time to understand how the law of contracts got rewritten. And why today, you can accept a contract without even noticing it. This episode was hosted by Emma Peaslee and Jeff Guo, and was produced by James Sneed. It was edited by Jess Jiang and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. It was engineered by James Willetts. Alex Goldmark is our Executive Producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Always free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR One or anywhere you get podcasts. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
This is Planet Money from NPR.
You know, when you're downloading an app or signing up for a website, there's those little check boxes.
Or sometimes it's just a link.
Read our terms of service.
They're like, everywhere.
Yeah, well, I never used to read those things.
Me neither.
We're all just, like, clicking next, next, next, next.
And we never think about it.
Yeah, it's like that warning label on a mattress.
But then there are these stories about how these terms of service have real legal consequences.
At that time, the only real thing on our mind was, you know, we're about to go have a good time.
Back in 2015, Greg Selden was planning this little romantic getaway to Philly.
He heard about Airbnb and he thought he'd try it out to find a place to stay.
So he made an account.
And we should say Airbnb is a financial supporter of NPrdez.
I'm clicking the button and thinking, you know, we're good to go.
I'm not looking for, oh, where's the terms of service at?
That's.
That's not my concern.