Tag: online agreements

Browsewrap License Cases: Ticketmaster Corp. v. Tickets.com, Inc., 2003 U.S. Dist. Lexis 6483 (C.D. CA., March 7, 2003)

Contracts, Internet Law, Online Agreements

In Ticketmaster Corp. v. Tickets.com, Inc., 2003 U.S. Dist. Lexis 6483 (C.D. CA., March 7, 2003):

–Tickets.com used deep links to Ticketmaster’s interior pages, in violation of Ticketmaster’s terms of use which were on its homepage.

–Relying on Register.com and Pollstar, the court held that a contract can be formed by use of a website, provided the user, at the time of use, has knowledge of the site’s terms and conditions that provide that such use constitutes an agreement to be bound.

  • Court relied on “cruise ship” case law precedent. It analogized interior web pages to the back of a cruise ship ticket’s venue clause, where user has actual or presumptive knowledge.

–Court found that Tickets.com used Ticketmaster’s site with full knowledge of the terms, and upheld such terms in the breach of contract action.

Browsewrap License Cases: Specht v. Netscape Communications Corp., 306 F.3d 17 (2nd Cir. 2002)

Contracts, Internet Law, Online Agreements

In Specht v. Netscape Communications Corp., 306 F.3d 17 (2nd Cir. 2002), Users who downloaded certain software programs provided by Netscape filed a class action in federal court.  Netscape then moved for arbitration which was required as per the download terms. There were, however, multiple ways to download the Netscape programs, some of which required an affirmative assent and some of which did not require any assent to the terms of the license (case is about the latter).

The 2nd Circuit found that users could download and use the software without having to view the full terms of the contractual arrangement including the arbitration clause. The Court stated that a reasonably prudent consumer would not assent to contractual terms that were so inconspicuous that they could use the product while totally overlooking them. You had to scroll down and click on the terms to see them.

The Court said what is needed is “clarity and conspicuousness” to ensure the user is cognizant of the terms of the license (emphasis mine).  This is the phrase to keep in mind when clients are creating browsewrap and clickwrap agreements to bind users online.

Aside: Court seemed concerned that the Internet gives companies too many opportunities to exploit unsuspecting users. Simple rule is that if the user is not reasonably alerted to the contractual terms, she cannot assent to them.

Best Practices for Drafting Browsewrap and Clickwrap Agreements

Internet Law, Online Agreements

There’s still some hostility from the court system, and the public at times, on the enforceability of browsewrap and clickwrap agreements. Having an enforceable license for your website, software or mobile application is of the utmost importance.

The ABA Committee on Cyberspace Law provided general rules to ensure your online agreement is enforceable:

  1. The user must have adequate notice that the proposed terms exist;
  2. The user must have a meaningful opportunity to review the terms;
  3. The user must have adequate notice that taking a specified, optional action manifests assent to the terms; and
  4. The user must, in fact, take that action.

I fully agree with the above.  Notice, notice, notice is so important. But not just any notice.  You need to ensure that the notice is reasonable, that is that a reasonable person using your software/website/application would understand that by taking a certain action (clicking or continuing use of the site) it renders the agreement binding on them. My reading of the case law on shrinkwrap, browsewrap and clickwrap agreements made me come up with my own list in addition to the ABA Committee’s pointers:

  1. Create an easy to read, reasonable license that follows industry norms;
  2. Give the user reasonable notice that the license exists;
    • Make sure the notice is CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS
    • Colors, size, font, placement, timing, etc. all relevant. Don’t “bury” it.  Get it in front of the user’s faces.
  3. Let the user read the full license if he or she so chooses (scrollable pop-up being preferred), prior to acceptance (click or use);
  4. Opt for clickwrap over browsewrap if possible.