# 🔍 Terms of Service Scavenger Hunt: Meta & Roblox Case Studies

Real examples from the 2025 Terms of Service updates for two platforms millions of families use daily. Let's see what you actually agreed to.

⚠️ Workshop Note: This analysis is based on publicly available information about Meta and Roblox's 2025 Terms of Service updates. Both platforms have updated their terms effective January 1, 2025 (Meta) and June-September 2025 (Roblox). Quotes are drawn from official sources and reporting on the updates.

## Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp)

📅 Effective Date: January 1, 2025
🎯 Category 1: "We're Not Responsible"

### Liability Limitation

From Meta Terms (Section on Content):
"If we learn of content or conduct like this, we may take appropriate action based on our assessment that may include - notifying you, offering help, removing content, removing or restricting access to certain features, disabling an account, or contacting law enforcement."
💡 What This Means:
Notice the word "may"—not "will." Meta gives itself complete discretion about whether to act on harmful content. They're not promising to protect you; they're saying they might, if they feel like it, based on their own assessment.

### Service "As Is"

From Meta's standard terms language:
Meta provides services "as is" without warranties. While not explicitly quoted in public summaries, industry-standard ToS include language stating the platform accepts no liability for service failures, security breaches, or harmful user-generated content.
💡 What This Means:
If Facebook's algorithm shows your teen harmful content, if a data breach exposes your information, if their moderation fails to catch harassment—they claim they're not responsible because you agreed to use it "as is."
🎯 Category 2: "We Own Everything"

### Content License (THE BIG ONE)

From reporting on Meta's 2025 ToS:
"Though you retain ownership over your content, Meta's broad license to 'use' it creates a gray area... Meta admits to using AI but stops short of specifying how it plans to use our content to develop future AI models."
💡 What This Means:
Every photo of your kids, every post, every message you send—you've granted Meta a "worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license" to use it. They can:

- Train AI models on your family photos
- Use your content commercially
- Keep using it even after you delete your account
- Share it across Meta companies (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp)

And they don't have to tell you specifically how they're using it.

### AI Training Rights

From analysis of 2025 updates:
"The absence of clear disclosures about AI training practices sets a dangerous precedent for big tech. If Facebook doesn't explicitly outline its policies, who will?"
⚠️ Critical Concern:
Meta's 2025 terms expanded AI usage rights without clearly specifying limits. Your creative work, your children's faces, your writing—all potential AI training data with no opt-out.

### Private Messages Aren't Private

From reporting on the updates:
"Meta's new TOS reaches beyond other social media PMs. When you click 'accept' to its updated terms, you will grant Meta the right to read your private messages (nothing new) and use, share, copy, or sell, in whole or in part, in any way it wants, including but not limited to, training..."
💡 What This Means:
DMs on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are not actually private in any meaningful sense. Meta can:

- Read them (for "safety" and "optimization")
- Analyze them for advertising targeting
- Use them for AI training
- Access them when "required or permitted by law"

Only WhatsApp has end-to-end encryption (where Meta can't read message content—but they still collect metadata about who you message and when).
🎯 Category 3: "We Can Change Anything"

### Unilateral Changes

From Meta Terms:
"These Terms (formerly known as the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities) make up the entire agreement between you and Meta Platforms, Inc."
Terms updates are presented with language like: "These Terms therefore constitute an agreement between you and Meta Platforms, Inc. If you do not agree to these Terms, then do not access or use Facebook..."
💡 What This Means:
Meta can change the terms anytime. Your only choice is to accept or stop using the platform. "Continued use = acceptance" means:

- You might not even know terms changed
- If you keep using Facebook, you agreed to new terms
- No real negotiation—take it or leave it
- Years of content and connections held hostage to new rules

### Account Termination Rights

From Meta's enforcement language:
"We may take appropriate action... that may include notifying you, offering help, removing content, removing or restricting access to certain features, disabling an account, or contacting law enforcement."
💡 What This Means:
Meta can disable your account at their discretion. People report:

- Accounts disabled with no clear explanation
- Nearly impossible to reach actual human support
- Years of photos and memories suddenly inaccessible
- Scammers offering to "restore" accounts for fees

One user quote: "This already happened to me once because of a scam. I tried to contact support but Meta made it nigh impossible to do anything about it."
🎯 Category 4: How They Make Money (And What That Means)

### The Real Business Model

From Meta Terms:
"Instead of paying to use Facebook and the other products and services we offer, by using the Meta Products covered by these Terms, you agree that we can show you personalized ads and other commercial and sponsored content that businesses and organizations pay us to promote on and off Meta Company Products."
"We use your personal data, such as information about your activity and interests, to show you personalized ads and sponsored content that may be more relevant to you."
"We don't sell your personal data to advertisers, and we don't share information that directly identifies you (such as your name, email address or other contact information) with advertisers unless you give us specific permission."
💡 What This Actually Means:
Meta is being technically truthful but misleading:

- They don't "sell" your data → But they sell ACCESS to you based on your data
- They don't share your name → But they share enough to target you precisely
- "Personalized" ads → Algorithmic manipulation based on psychological profiling
- You're not the customer → Advertisers are. You're the product being sold.

The entire platform is optimized for engagement (keeping you scrolling) to show you more ads. Your wellbeing is not the goal—your attention is.

### Meta's User Rights Score

3/10

Summary: Extensive data collection and usage rights, minimal liability, limited user recourse, one-sided terms that can change anytime. Your content becomes their training data. Your attention is the product they sell.

## Roblox

📅 Effective Dates: June 4, 2025 (Privacy Policy) and September 17, 2025 (Terms of Use)
🎯 Unique Concern: Roblox is primarily used by children and teenagers, which makes these terms even more significant. Parents are legally responsible for minors' activity on the platform.
🎯 Category 1: "We're Not Responsible"

### User-Generated Content Shield

From Roblox's model:
Roblox provides the platform for user-created "experiences" (games). While they have Community Standards, the terms position Roblox as a platform provider rather than content publisher, limiting liability for what appears in millions of user-created games.
💡 What This Means:
When inappropriate content, predatory behavior, or scams appear in Roblox games:

- Roblox's position: "Users created it, not us"
- Moderation is reactive, not proactive
- Children encounter harmful content before it's reported and removed
- Platform structure makes comprehensive moderation nearly impossible

### Service Quality Disclaimer

💡 Standard Industry Practice:
Like Meta, Roblox's terms include standard "as is" service provisions, meaning:

- No guarantee of safety despite child-focused marketing
- No warranty that moderation will catch predatory behavior
- Limited liability for security breaches or account compromises

🎯 Category 2: "We Own Everything" / Data Collection

### Data Collection from Children

From Roblox Privacy Policy updates (June 2025):
"We have added language to clarify audio features on Roblox."
"We have added language to clarify data processing relating to ads on Roblox."
"We have added language to clarify how we may collect images or videos for certain features in our Facial Media Capture Privacy Notice."
⚠️ Translation:
Roblox is expanding what data they collect, including:

- Audio: Voice chat data from children
- Facial images/video: For "certain features" (avatars, verification?)
- Advertising data: Behavioral tracking for targeted ads

This is data about children being "clarified" (expanded) in 2025.

### Creator Content Rights

From Roblox Creator Terms:
Creators grant Roblox licenses to use, display, and distribute content they create. While creators can monetize, Roblox takes a significant cut and maintains extensive rights over creator work.
💡 What This Means:

- Teen creators grant Roblox broad rights to their creative work
- Roblox's cut of creator earnings: ~30-75% depending on transaction type
- Young creators may not understand the terms they're agreeing to

🎯 Category 3: "You Have No Rights" (Arbitration)

### Mandatory Arbitration & Class Action Waiver

From Roblox Terms (ALL CAPS in original):
"Specifically, these Roblox Terms contain A BINDING, INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER. THIS MEANS THAT YOU GIVE UP THE RIGHT TO BRING AN ACTION IN COURT, INDIVIDUALLY OR AS PART OF A CLASS ACTION."
"For U.S. Users, Roblox's Arbitration Agreement (Section 11), which outlines how disputes between you and Roblox will be resolved."
⚠️ What This Means:

- If Roblox harms you, you can't sue in court
- You can't join with other affected users in a class action
- Disputes go to private arbitration (which typically favors companies)
- For a platform used by children, parents are waiving legal rights on their behalf

This is especially concerning given documented safety issues on the platform (Bloomberg reported on predator problems in 2024).
🎯 Category 4: "We Can Change Anything"

### Terms Can Change Anytime

From Roblox Terms:
"The Roblox Terms are subject to change. To the extent required by applicable law, Roblox will provide User with reasonable advance notice of any material updates or modifications by any reasonable means of notification, provided that non-material changes, feature updates, or modifications made for legal reasons (as determined by Roblox) will be deemed to be effective immediately and without notice."
💡 Translation:

- Roblox decides what's "material" vs. "non-material"
- Some changes take effect immediately without notice
- "Reasonable advance notice" is not defined
- Continued use = agreement to new terms

### Account Termination

From Roblox enforcement updates (2025):
"Starting this week, if we detect that a user is using a modified client, we may take action on that account, up to and including account termination."
💡 What This Means:
Roblox can terminate accounts for violations, including:

- Modified clients (exploits/cheating)
- Community Standards violations
- Automated detection (can have false positives)

When an account is terminated:

- All purchased content is lost (Robux, items, game progress)
- No refunds for purchases
- Appeal process exists but not always successful

🎯 Category 5: Parent/Guardian Liability

### Parents Are Legally Responsible

From Roblox Terms:
"IF YOU ARE UNDER THE LEGAL AGE OF MAJORITY (A 'MINOR') IN YOUR JURISDICTION OR STATE OF RESIDENCE, BEFORE USING THE SERVICES, YOUR PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN MUST READ AND CONSENT TO THE ROBLOX TERMS. BY PERMITTING A MINOR TO USE THE SERVICES, A MINOR'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN BECOMES SUBJECT TO THE ROBLOX TERMS AND AGREES TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE MINOR'S ACTIVITIES ON THE SERVICES, INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF ANY VIRTUAL CONTENT."
⚠️ Parent Alert:
When you let your child play Roblox, YOU are agreeing to:

- Be responsible for all their activities
- Be bound by arbitration agreement
- Be liable for purchases they make
- Accept Roblox's data collection practices for your child
- Waive legal rights on their behalf

Most parents have no idea they're agreeing to this.
🎯 Real-World Safety Concerns

### Documented Platform Issues

Context from reporting:

- Bloomberg 2024 investigation: Documented problems with predators using Roblox to target children
- Voice chat risks: Unmoderated voice communication between strangers and children
- Social engineering: Scams targeting children through in-game trading and fake giveaways
- Real money transactions: Children spending significant real money on virtual currency

Yet the Terms of Service position Roblox as minimally liable for these harms.

### Roblox's User Rights Score

4/10

Summary: Platform used primarily by children with expanding data collection, mandatory arbitration, minimal liability for user-generated content harms, and parents legally responsible without meaningful informed consent.

Slight edge over Meta: More explicit safety efforts, better age verification systems, but fundamental power imbalance remains.

## ⚖️ Side-by-Side Comparison

Category | Meta (Facebook) | Roblox | Winner
--- | --- | --- | ---
Liability Protection | Extensive disclaimers, "as is" service, minimal responsibility for content harms | Platform provider shield, user-generated content defense, limited moderation guarantees | 🤝 Tie (both terrible)
Content/Data Rights | Broad license to use all content, AI training rights, cross-platform sharing, private messages accessible | Creator content licenses, expanding child data collection (audio, facial, behavioral) | 😬 Meta slightly worse (AI training of private messages)
Arbitration Clauses | Yes, mandatory arbitration | Yes, mandatory arbitration + class action waiver in ALL CAPS | 🤝 Tie (both eliminate legal recourse)
Term Changes | Can change anytime, continued use = acceptance | Can change anytime, some changes effective immediately without notice | 😬 Roblox slightly worse (immediate changes)
Account Termination | At discretion, minimal support for appeals, documented customer service issues | At discretion, automated detection possible, loss of all purchases without refund | 😬 Roblox slightly worse (financial loss for kids)
Transparency | Unclear AI usage, vague about ad targeting specifics | "Clarified" expanded data collection in 2025 updates | 🤝 Tie (both lack meaningful transparency)
User Age | 13+ officially (younger users common) | All ages, with parent consent for minors | ⚠️ Roblox worse (targeting younger users)
Parent Liability | Not explicitly stated | Parents fully responsible for all minor activities and purchases | 😬 Roblox worse (explicit parent liability)

📊 Overall Assessment

### Common Patterns Across Both Platforms

🛡️
Maximum protection for company: Extensive disclaimers, limited liability, ability to change terms unilaterally
📝
Broad content licenses: Your creative work becomes their asset for AI training, advertising, and platform development
⚖️
Eliminated legal recourse: Mandatory arbitration and class action waivers prevent collective action
🔄
Moving goalposts: Terms can change anytime; your only choice is accept or leave (losing everything)
👁️
Surveillance for profit: Both collect extensive behavioral data to sell advertising access

### ⚠️ The Fundamental Problem

These aren't "agreements" between equals. They're:

- Adhesion contracts: Take it or leave it, no negotiation
- Deliberately incomprehensible: Written by lawyers for lawyers
- Designed not to be read: Thousands of words no one has time for
- Legally questionable: Many clauses wouldn't survive real scrutiny, but arbitration prevents that
- Ethically bankrupt: Especially for platforms targeting children

### What Makes These Terms Especially Problematic

#### For Meta:

- Expanded AI training rights without clear limits or opt-outs
- Private messages explicitly included in data usage rights
- "Continued use = consent" applied retroactively to years of existing content
- Psychological manipulation (engagement optimization) is the business model

#### For Roblox:

- Platform primarily used by children, but terms written for adults
- Parents accept liability without informed understanding
- Expanding data collection (facial, audio) from minors
- Documented safety issues yet minimal platform liability
- Real money losses (purchased content) with account termination

💭 Discussion Questions for Workshop

### For Families:

1. Did you know you agreed to these terms?
2. Would you have signed up if you'd understood what you were agreeing to?
3. How do you feel about your family photos training AI systems?
4. Is "continued use = consent" really meaningful consent?
5. Should companies be allowed to write one-sided contracts like this?
6. What would fair terms look like?

### For Teens:

1. What's the most surprising thing you learned?
2. Do you trust these platforms more or less now?
3. If you could change one thing about these terms, what would it be?
4. Do you think most of your friends know what they agreed to?
5. Would you still use these platforms knowing all this?

🛠️ What You Can Actually Do

### Short-Term Actions:

- Be aware: At least now you know what you agreed to
- Minimize sharing: Less data shared = less data they can use
- Review settings: Use whatever privacy controls exist (limited as they are)
- Document problems: Screenshots help with appeals and reporting
- Educate others: Share what you learned

### Long-Term Advocacy:

- Support regulation: Terms this one-sided shouldn't be enforceable
- Demand transparency: Plain language explanations should be mandatory
- Consider alternatives: Fediverse, ATProto, and other platforms have different models
- Vote with your data: Delete accounts when platforms cross lines
- Protect children: Special regulations needed for platforms targeting minors

### Remember:

Just because it's in the Terms of Service doesn't make it legal or enforceable.

- Consumer protection laws still apply
- Special protections exist for minors
- Some clauses are legally questionable (which is why they prevent you from suing)
- Public pressure and regulation can force changes

## 📚 Sources & Further Reading

- Meta Terms of Service (Effective January 1, 2025): facebook.com/terms
- Roblox Terms of Use (Effective September 17, 2025)
- Bloomberg's 2024 Roblox investigation
- Analysis of 2025 Meta ToS updates from tech journalists and legal experts
- Consumer advocacy organizations (EFF, Common Sense Media, etc.)

Workshop Note: This analysis is meant for education and critical thinking, not legal advice. Actual Terms of Service are available on each platform's website. Encourage participants to read (or attempt to read) the real documents.