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> Can the company simply cut you off then? Yes. They're offering you the service under a particular set of terms. If you don't like those terms then the compan
by remus 6y ago
> Can the company simply cut you off then?
Yes. They're offering you the service under a particular set of terms. If you don't like those terms then the company is not obliged to adjust it's terms to suit you (assuming the terms themselves are legal in the first place, for example they don't break anti-discrimination law). In theory you could try negotiating the terms with the company to something that is more favourable for you, but as an individual you're not going to have a lot of leverage to get a company like google to offer a service that's specially tailored just for you! Negotiating is a lot more common in B2B services though, where you can have a lot more money on the table so it's worth it for both parties.
- mnw21cam 6y agoNo. It's explicitly set out in the GDPR that refusal to agree to the unnecessary collection of personal data must not be a reason to withhold service.
- sbarre 6y agoInteresting, thank you! I'll have to look that up further.. This seems remarkable (not right/wrong) to me, that a private non-essential enterprise can be forced to service a customer who does not agree to their terms of use.
- mnw21cam 6y agoThere is plenty of precedent. For instance, a private non-essential enterprise is not allowed to refuse service to a customer because they do not agree to never buy anything from their competitor.
- remus 6y agoI think we're making different points here. Where a company comes up with some terms that are illegal those particular clauses in the terms are unenforcable, but if the terms are within the law then they're the contract between you and the company, and both sides have to agree for the contract to be binding i.e. before the company will provide you the goods/service specified in the contract. If you don't agree to the terms then there's no agreement between you and the company, and the company is under no obligation to provide you with service.
- remus 6y agoI think this falls under the part where I said > (assuming the terms themselves are legal in the first place, for example they don't break anti-discrimination law) As you mentioned, GDPR explicitly states that you can't extort personal data from people by withholding service. However in the broader sense a company can refuse service if you don't agree to their terms.