Audio By Carbonatix
The combined terms and conditions of 13 top apps including TikTok, WhatsApp and Zoom would take 17 hours and five minutes to read, a firm has estimated.
The documents contain a joint total of 128,415 words - longer than any one of the first three Harry Potter novels.
The longest was Microsoft Teams at 18,282 words - or two-and-a-half hours of reading time for many people.
What a way to end the week: Getting @thinkmoney on @BBCNews! 🔥
— Evolved Search (@evolved_search) November 6, 2020
Check it out: https://t.co/G4Dh7OT08Q
In 2018, a BBC study found that several website policies required university education levels of reading ability.
It is not possible to use the services without agreeing to the terms.
Other long documents discovered by thinkmoney included Candy Crush (14,189 words), Twitter (11,022) and Facebook (8,588). The word count included both terms and conditions and privacy policies.
The shortest on the list was Google Meet with 4,717 words.
Privacy researcher Stephanie Hare said that both the length and language used in such statements made them difficult for adults and children to be able to make informed consent about what they were agreeing to - and the only alternative was to not use the app at all.
"Consent implies choice, but choice is not what's on offer. It is difficult, if not impossible, for most of us to work and live today without using a smartphone, computer and other devices that allow us to transact online," she said.
Latest Stories
-
CJ’s remarks on SOEs were made in good faith, not to undermine judicial independence – Judicial Service
2 hours -
Bright Future Alliance pays courtesy call on Akufo-Addo, invites him to African Leaders of Influence Lectureship Series
2 hours -
This is an attempt to break the Minority caucus – Patricia Appiagyei on alleged GH¢70k payment
3 hours -
‘OSP hasn’t contacted me’ – Patricia Appiagyei assures cooperation if invited
3 hours -
I find it strange that this memo was purportedly written by me – Patricia Appiagyei
3 hours -
Ayariga calls for stronger church partnership to tackle sanitation, environmental challenges
3 hours -
I don’t think we have an industry – Patchbay Band manager
4 hours -
Patchbay Band questions recognition of live bands in Ghana’s music industry
4 hours -
Newsfile to discuss SOEs’ GH¢19.8bn profit, dissolution of 9 boards, CJ’s visits to SOEs, GH¢70k gift rejection
4 hours -
BoG warns against spraying, defacing and using cedi notes for decorations
4 hours -
Adwumawura: Selected applicants to receive notifications from today – NEIP CEO
4 hours -
‘Fake memo’ fabricated to smear me – Patricia Appiagyei
4 hours -
ATLF2026: Culture, investment and tourism take centre stage as Africa’s tourism leaders gather in Polokwane
5 hours -
TI-Ghana and GACC demand full disclosure over alleged GH¢70,000 Appointments Committee payment
5 hours -
UN approves resolution in support of map that shows Africa’s true size
5 hours