Open Terms Archive

"Open Terms Archive addresses a critical gap in the ability of activists, journalists, researchers, lawmakers and regulators to analyse and influence the rules of online services.

Digital platforms hold immense power in forming global information flows, managing personal data and dictating business practices, and thus massively influence societal change. Their power is shaped by the rules set forth in complex and regularly changing documents that define how these platforms operate: terms of service, privacy policies, community guidelines…

These terms often offer unequal rights and opportunities across jurisdictions and increasingly constitute norms designed unilaterally, with little to no democratic oversight. Due to the sheer volume of these documents, the frequency at which they change, and the legalese often used, these critical governing rules remain largely opaque, even to the most dedicated observers.

Open Terms Archive publicly records these terms in different languages and countries several times a day, increasing their readability and highlighting their changes...."