Didn’t read the terms and conditions

Didn’t read the terms and conditions

Didn’t read the terms and conditions

A one-night pop-up exhibition about all those ‘I agree’ buttons we click without reading

A one-night pop-up exhibition about all those ‘I agree’ buttons we click without reading

A one-night pop-up exhibition about all those ‘I agree’ buttons we click without reading

Nov 6, 2025

Nov 6, 2025

The Information Lab

The Information Lab

London

London

The Problem

The Problem

We all do it. Every time we download an app, update our phone, or sign up for something new, we hit “I agree” without reading a single word.

We all do it. Every time we download an app, update our phone, or sign up for something new, we hit “I agree” without reading a single word.

We all do it. Every time we download an app, update our phone, or sign up for something new, we hit “I agree” without reading a single word.

It’s not laziness — it’s design. Privacy policies are written to be unreadable. In fact, research shows it would take 76 full workdays each year to read every privacy policy you encounter. Nobody has that kind of time.

It’s not laziness — it’s design. Privacy policies are written to be unreadable. In fact, research shows it would take 76 full workdays each year to read every privacy policy you encounter. Nobody has that kind of time.

It’s not laziness — it’s design. Privacy policies are written to be unreadable. In fact, research shows it would take 76 full workdays each year to read every privacy policy you encounter. Nobody has that kind of time.

Hidden inside those endless paragraphs are the real stories of how your data is collected, shared, and used — often in ways you’d never expect. And companies know this. They rely on it.

Hidden inside those endless paragraphs are the real stories of how your data is collected, shared, and used — often in ways you’d never expect. And companies know this. They rely on it.

Hidden inside those endless paragraphs are the real stories of how your data is collected, shared, and used — often in ways you’d never expect. And companies know this. They rely on it.

This exhibition shines a light on what’s usually hidden. It transforms the abstract language of privacy policies into tangible, hands-on experiences — things you can see, touch, and truly understand.

This exhibition shines a light on what’s usually hidden. It transforms the abstract language of privacy policies into tangible, hands-on experiences — things you can see, touch, and truly understand.

This exhibition shines a light on what’s usually hidden. It transforms the abstract language of privacy policies into tangible, hands-on experiences — things you can see, touch, and truly understand.

What I Did About It

What I Did About It

What I Did About It

Concetrated triathlete grayscale
Concetrated triathlete grayscale

To bring the problem to life, I created a one-night pop-up exhibition featuring seven interactive installations. Each one uncovers a different truth hidden behind the countless “I agree” buttons we all click without thinking.

To bring the problem to life, I created a one-night pop-up exhibition featuring seven interactive installations. Each one uncovers a different truth hidden behind the countless “I agree” buttons we all click without thinking.

To bring the problem to life, I created a one-night pop-up exhibition featuring seven interactive installations. Each one uncovers a different truth hidden behind the countless “I agree” buttons we all click without thinking.

Coach explaining something to an athlete
Coach explaining something to an athlete

This wasn’t about blaming or lecturing anyone — because let’s be honest, everyone skips reading those terms. That’s perfectly normal when you’re faced with thousands of words of unreadable legal text.

This wasn’t about blaming or lecturing anyone — because let’s be honest, everyone skips reading those terms. That’s perfectly normal when you’re faced with thousands of words of unreadable legal text.

This wasn’t about blaming or lecturing anyone — because let’s be honest, everyone skips reading those terms. That’s perfectly normal when you’re faced with thousands of words of unreadable legal text.

Athlete winning a race
Athlete winning a race

Instead, my goal was to make people pause and think: “Wait—what am I actually agreeing to?”

Instead, my goal was to make people pause and think: “Wait—what am I actually agreeing to?”

Athlete winning a race
Athlete winning a race

The exhibition used participatory data visualisation, which means visitors didn’t just observe — they became part of the work. By physically interacting with each installation, they helped generate the data that shaped the visuals. When you contribute to a visualisation instead of just viewing it, you remember it, talk about it, and reflect on it long after you leave.

The exhibition used participatory data visualisation, which means visitors didn’t just observe — they became part of the work. By physically interacting with each installation, they helped generate the data that shaped the visuals. When you contribute to a visualisation instead of just viewing it, you remember it, talk about it, and reflect on it long after you leave.

The exhibition used participatory data visualisation, which means visitors didn’t just observe — they became part of the work. By physically interacting with each installation, they helped generate the data that shaped the visuals. When you contribute to a visualisation instead of just viewing it, you remember it, talk about it, and reflect on it long after you leave.

Athlete winning a race
Athlete winning a race
Coach explaining something to an athlete
Concetrated triathlete grayscale
Athlete winning a race
Athlete winning a race
Coach explaining something to an athlete
Concetrated triathlete grayscale

WHAT'S ON

WHAT'S ON

WHAT'S ON

Full documentation will be added after the exhibition on 6 Nov.
For now, here’s a preview of what visitors experienced inside #didntreadthetandcs:

How much have you actually agreed to?

01

Discover how long it actually takes to read the full terms and conditions for the apps on your phone.

How much have you actually agreed to?

01

Discover how long it actually takes to read the full terms and conditions for the apps on your phone.

How much have you actually agreed to?

01

Discover how long it actually takes to read the full terms and conditions for the apps on your phone.

What are you actually signing away?

02

A waiver form with a sneaky, ridiculous clause buried inside. (Spoiler: almost nobody spotted it.)

What are you actually signing away?

02

A waiver form with a sneaky, ridiculous clause buried inside. (Spoiler: almost nobody spotted it.)

What are you actually signing away?

02

A waiver form with a sneaky, ridiculous clause buried inside. (Spoiler: almost nobody spotted it.)

Did you read what you signed?

03

A waiver form with a sneaky, ridiculous clause buried inside. (Spoiler: almost nobody spotted it.)

Did you read what you signed?

03

A waiver form with a sneaky, ridiculous clause buried inside. (Spoiler: almost nobody spotted it.)

Did you read what you signed?

03

A waiver form with a sneaky, ridiculous clause buried inside. (Spoiler: almost nobody spotted it.)

How do you feel about it?

04

Four small but powerful actions you can take right now to protect your digital privacy.

person holding black iphone 5

How do you feel about it?

04

Four small but powerful actions you can take right now to protect your digital privacy.

person holding black iphone 5

How do you feel about it?

04

Four small but powerful actions you can take right now to protect your digital privacy.

person holding black iphone 5

Take Action

Take Action

Take Action

Privacy policies are impossible to read, but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Here are four practical things you can do right now:

Group of men surfing

Turn off ‘Always’ location tracking

Companies track everywhere you go, 24 hours a day. Your work, home, the gym, your doctor’s surgery. Go to your phone settings and change apps to track your location only ‘while using’ them, not constantly in the background. You decide when they can see where you are.

Group of men surfing

Turn off ‘Always’ location tracking

Companies track everywhere you go, 24 hours a day. Your work, home, the gym, your doctor’s surgery. Go to your phone settings and change apps to track your location only ‘while using’ them, not constantly in the background. You decide when they can see where you are.

Group of men surfing

Turn off ‘Always’ location tracking

Companies track everywhere you go, 24 hours a day. Your work, home, the gym, your doctor’s surgery. Go to your phone settings and change apps to track your location only ‘while using’ them, not constantly in the background. You decide when they can see where you are.

Man with surfing with paddle

Know the ICO can help you

If a company violates your privacy rights, you can complain to the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) for free. They’re the UK’s data watchdog with real enforcement power. Visit ico.org.uk to file a complaint. Companies actually have to respond.

Man with surfing with paddle

Know the ICO can help you

If a company violates your privacy rights, you can complain to the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) for free. They’re the UK’s data watchdog with real enforcement power. Visit ico.org.uk to file a complaint. Companies actually have to respond.

Man with surfing with paddle

Know the ICO can help you

If a company violates your privacy rights, you can complain to the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) for free. They’re the UK’s data watchdog with real enforcement power. Visit ico.org.uk to file a complaint. Companies actually have to respond.

Man with surfboard

Use ToS;DR to make better app choices

ToS;DR reads privacy policies for you and gives each service a simple grade from A (great privacy) to E (terrible privacy). Check tosdr.org to see how your current apps rate, and use it before downloading new ones. It helps you make informed choices about which apps and services to trust. Prevention is easier than getting your data back later.

Man with surfboard

Use ToS;DR to make better app choices

ToS;DR reads privacy policies for you and gives each service a simple grade from A (great privacy) to E (terrible privacy). Check tosdr.org to see how your current apps rate, and use it before downloading new ones. It helps you make informed choices about which apps and services to trust. Prevention is easier than getting your data back later.

Man with surfboard

Use ToS;DR to make better app choices

ToS;DR reads privacy policies for you and gives each service a simple grade from A (great privacy) to E (terrible privacy). Check tosdr.org to see how your current apps rate, and use it before downloading new ones. It helps you make informed choices about which apps and services to trust. Prevention is easier than getting your data back later.

A kid practicing surfing

Do Google’s 5-minute privacy checkup

Google’s Privacy Checkup guides you through your main settings in just 5 minutes. You can turn off location history, web tracking, and YouTube history. You can even set your data to auto-delete every 3 months. Go to myaccount.google.com/privacycheckup and take back some control.

A kid practicing surfing

Do Google’s 5-minute privacy checkup

Google’s Privacy Checkup guides you through your main settings in just 5 minutes. You can turn off location history, web tracking, and YouTube history. You can even set your data to auto-delete every 3 months. Go to myaccount.google.com/privacycheckup and take back some control.

A kid practicing surfing

Do Google’s 5-minute privacy checkup

Google’s Privacy Checkup guides you through your main settings in just 5 minutes. You can turn off location history, web tracking, and YouTube history. You can even set your data to auto-delete every 3 months. Go to myaccount.google.com/privacycheckup and take back some control.

Abstract gradient design featuring smooth transitions from dark gray to black.

This project is my Final Major Project for MA Design for Data Visualisation at University of the Arts London.

Abstract gradient design featuring smooth transitions from dark gray to black.

This project is my Final Major Project for MA Design for Data Visualisation at University of the Arts London.

Abstract gradient design featuring smooth transitions from dark gray to black.

This project is my Final Major Project for MA Design for Data Visualisation at University of the Arts London.