Norway's Consumer Agency To Highlight Problems With Mobile App Policies in Online Event

Protesting the length and complexity of mobile app terms and conditions, Norway's consumer protection agency will have politicians, data protection officials, international students and others reading aloud policies of Angry Birds, Facebook, Netflix, Skype, Snapchat, Tinder, Twitter and two dozen more companies -- all told 250,000 words that will take 24 hours to utter during a live stream Friday. "The current state of terms and conditions for digital services is bordering on the absurd," said Digital Policy Director Finn Myrstad at the Norwegian Consumer Council, or Forbrukerrådet. The agency said the collective length of app terms and conditions found on an "average" mobile phone is longer than the New Testament. "Their scope, length and complexity mean it is virtually impossible to make good and informed decisions." He said consumers are at a disadvantage since companies can "unilaterally" amend policies to track, store and sell user content. Advocates want standards for how terms, conditions and privacy statements are written and presented, he said. Haida Tajik, chair of the Norwegian Parliament's justice committee, and Norwegian Data Protection Commissioner Bjørn Erik Thon will be among the numerous speakers during the Web stream.