Aug. 13, 2015, 5:10 p.m.
IT | Rants

it is all in the fine print...

Imagine this scenario:

A boy and a girl meet and fall madly in love with each other. A year later they decide to get married. Standing in front of the minister, the boy, now a man, is asked: "...from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, ...", to which he enthusiastically responds YES. Because he loves her. His fiancée is asked the same question. She however responds as follow: YES, then murmurs softly: pursuant to disclaimer. The man being filled with testosterone does not hear this fine print, they are married and they have many kids.
Five years later, she sues him for divorce and all his possessions as he is stinking rich. The man thinks she has no case, because of her vow she made at the wedding ceremony. However, the disclaimer she so non-eloquently had uttered, and which he had failed to review, granted her the legal right to all his possessions if she ever grown tired of him. Which she did. He had no case. As he never reviewed her disclaimer.

Would you be pissed? Her disclaimer was uttered so softly it can almost be considered a secret. I don't care for these people as they are fake as is the story. What I do care about is the principle. If a trusted third party is paid for their services, and makes a public statement that affects potentially millions of people's decisions, then that statement better be clear and honest and direct.

What in heaven's name is this all about:

Broadway Camera Web Site
Broadway Camera Web Site

See that little green Security Scanned, Trust Passed icon? It is shown on top of Broadway Camera's website. Does that sound like a public statement from a third party company that www.bccamera.com is to be trusted? That their security scanning showed it can be trusted and that you can freely shop without fear of malicious consequences? How many people do you think actually clicks on that logo before buying? Or do you think most people just see the icon, possibly remembering it from other sites and feel all warm and fuzzy?

Well, do yourself a favour and click on it. This is what is shown:

Trust Guard Seal
Trust Guard Seal

Now read the tiny, tiny disclaimer. I am no legal expert but their disclaimer basically nullifies their seal. It is the equivalent of "Yes, I'll marry you and promise to keep my vows" then crossing your fingers behind your back.

This to me is false economy. It is false security, it is deceptive, and it is very close to theft. That is, taking money from a company just to make them and their clients believe they are protected, when in fact they are not. The problem lies not with their disclaimer - that is basically the only part of this whole product that I agree with. The problem lies within everything else.