Online Policy Primer Case Study; Trip Advisor’s

Terms and Conditions Explained

Created and written by Karley Cauchi student at

Curtin University for NET303 Internet Politics and Power

What is TripAdvisor?

TripAdvisor is a travel website providing reviews of travel-related content. It also includes interactive travel forums. TripAdvisor was an early adopter of user-generated content.

Source: TripAdvisor.com.au

TripAdvisor is an interactive travel based website that enables people to review travel related content, from hotels, to activities and more. It also features an interactive travel forum.

The website is free to users, who upload a majority of the content via the website.

In order to monitor and regulate the content online users need to agree to certain Terms and Conditions.

About Trip Advisor

Travel

provider,

e.g.

hotel

TripAdvisor allows users to submit reviews and photos about their travels.

Whether it be uploading photos of a hotel, or a rating for a restaurant, even booking a holiday or giving feedback about an activity, Trip Advisor is made up of user generated content.

Source: TripAdvisor.com.au

Image: Design Travel Vector. Source from http://4vector.com/free-vector/design-elements-vector-fashion-travel-6753

How do you get started

Google Facebook Email

So you want to contribute and have your say on Trip Advisor. Easy, all

you need to do is join! You can sign in with your Social media accounts

or email account.

Image Source: www.Google.com; www.Facbook.com; www.iconarchive.com

Your nearly there, just read those T&C’s

Wait, did you actually read the Terms and Conditions,

or did you just tick the box and start using.

Just 7% of Britons read the online terms and conditions when signing up for products and services

Whilst 43% of those who don’t always read the Terms and Conditions say they are boring or difficult to understand.

By not reading and understanding the Terms and

Conditions, users become vulnerable to the company’s

rulesSource: http://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/may/11/terms-conditions-small-print-big-problems

So lets take a closer look at the main Terms and

Conditions of TripAdvisor.com.au

Review and Comments

Notice and Takedowns

Content and Ownership

Privacy

Terms and Condition changes

Eh…That’s interesting…Gamestation, a software retailer,

decided to include an 'Immortal Souls' clause to their T&C’s. This basically

meant that Gamestation would legally own the 'souls' of customers who

bought from them. Their little jokes shows how easily users sign the T&C’s

without reading them. Scary!!!

Image Source: www.iconarchive.com

Source: Dewey 2013

Reviews and Comments

So that means…

Trip Advisor takes no responsibility for any post or review by its users. Trip Advisor will not edited or alter any posts, but will removed without notice or reason if they deem necessary. Trip Advisor also states that users enter this online chat rooms made available on the site, as well as forums at the users own risk, meaning it will not be responsible for any messages or contact between users. Users agree not to post, upload or forward on any unlawful information via the Trip Advisor Website. As well as any offensive material, illegal activity, copyright material etc.

BE sure before you review and post information, that your opinions won’t have any implications further down the track

Image Source: www.iconarchive.com

Notice and Takedown

So that means…

Trip Advisor will advise you that your comment or review has had a complaint about it, then they will remove the comment or review with out further notice. Any comments or reviews that you post, could be used against you in court. Trip Advisor holds no responsibility for the information you have uploaded on the website.

MAKE sure when you post online that you research and are confident of the information you are provide, as you may need to justify why to a judge.

Image Source: www.iconarchive.com

Content - Ownership

So that means…

The user agrees not to change, copy, distribute etc. Trip Advisor’s content. Inturn Trip Advisor requires you to agree that any content you upload to the site, royalty free. Which means that you will not seek any payment for the content you upload. Users are basically writing reviews and commenting on services and products as a free service. Not only can Trip Advisor use this content they can also sub-lease your content and information to third parties.

IT may be your content but once you upload, consider it anyone’s.

Image Source: www.iconarchive.com

Privacy

So that means…

Every time you log on to Trip Advisor, they can monitor your activity. Places and information who have searched for whilst on the site. Trip Advisor also obtains your IP address, which is your computer’s ID, and saves information through cookie files to find out information about your internet usage. Trip Advisor will also provide your details, directly or indirectly to their partners for research and marketing.

SO your privacy isn’t really private when you sign up.

Image Source: www.iconarchive.com

Terms and Conditions changes

So that means…

Though you have signed and agreement to the terms and conditions at the time, these could change without notice to you. Its important, you keep an eye on any updated terms and conditions posted by Trip Advisor and make yourself familiar with them again.

Just because you agreed to the T&Cs last year, doesn't’t mean they haven’t changed. Regular check ups on the Term and Conditions is important.

Image Source: www.iconarchive.com

So what about those Terms and Conditions….

Terms and Conditions, are there to protect

both the company and the user. Some

companies though try to protect

themselves over their clients.

So next time you sign up online whether on

TripAdvisor.com.au or another site, take

the time to read and understand the rules

and regulations before you tick the little

box!

Read before

you tick

REFERENCES

Dewey, C (2013) Why you should read those ‘terms & conditions’ before clicking ‘agree’. Retrieved from

http://www.grbj.com/articles/78420-why-you-should-read-those-terms-conditions-before-clicking-agree

Giancy, R (2014) Will you read this article about terms and conditions? You really should do. Retrieved from

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/24/terms-and-conditions-online-small-

print-information

McGuinness, R (2014) Terms and conditions may apply… Does anybody read internet T&Cs? Retrieved from

http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/01/terms-and-conditions-may-apply-does-anybody-read-internet-tcs-4781976

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (2008). Privacy and the Internet: Travelling in Cyberspace Safely. Retrieved from

https://www.privacyrights.org/online-privacy-using-internet-safely

Smithers, R (2011) Terms and conditions: not reading the small print can mean big problems.

Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/may/11/terms-conditions-small-print-big-problems

Trip Advisor (2014) Privacy Policy. Retrieved from http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/pages/privacy.html

Trip Advisor (2014) Terms of Use. Retrieved from http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/pages/terms.html