Mozilla Releases Gift Guide With Privacy in Mind

However, Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a research and public policy organization in Washington, D.C., pointed out that privacy policies are often complex because digital products and services are complex.

Moreover, he continued, the companies making these products face regulators not only in 50 states but all over the world. “Given the enormous penalties these companies can face for any errors or omissions, it is not surprising that the lawyers have taken over writing these terms,” Castro told TechNewsWorld.

“Many of these privacy policies are often ‘for lawyers, by lawyers’ instead of for consumers,” he said. “These companies are not trying to deceive consumers — they are trying to avoid fines. But if they oversimplify or generalize, they will be hit with penalties like the nearly $400 million Google settlement.”