TermsRating
Companies / Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services

11 serious, 8 to watch. Found 22 of 23 practices.
F

Do you give up the right to sue?Yes

Disputes will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, in accordance with the then-applicable Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, and judgment on the arbitral award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. The arbitration will take place in the City of São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil. There will be three arbitrators. The fees and expenses of the arbitrators and the administering authority, if any, will be paid in equal proportion by the parties. The parties agree that the existence of and information relating to any such arbitration proceedings will not be disclosed by either party and will constitute confidential information.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 118–118
In plain wordsYou cannot take a legal dispute to a public court or participate in a class action lawsuit. Instead, any disagreement must be settled through a private process called binding arbitration in São Paulo, Brazil.

Do they get wide rights to what you post or upload?Yes

Contributed Content you contribute as an End User is the Content of the project owner, and is not considered Your Content for the purposes of rights and obligations under the terms of this Agreement. Contributed Content may be viewed by others who have access to that project. Unless you enter into a license with other parties who have access to the project specifying different terms, you grant each party who has access to the project a nonexclusive, worldwide, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, prepare derivatives, distribute, perform, and display Contributed Content you contribute as an End User. You represent and warrant that you have all rights necessary to grant this license.
aws.amazon.com/service-terms, lines 407–407
In plain wordsIf you contribute to a project, you give everyone with access to that project a permanent, global right to use, change, and share your work. This means you lose control over how your contributions are used by others in the project.

Do they sell or share your data?Yes

Advertising cookies may be set through our site by us or our advertising partners and help us deliver relevant marketing content. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less relevant advertising. Allowed Blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of our sites. You may review and change your choices at any time by selecting Cookie preferences in the footer of this site. We and selected third-parties use cookies or similar technologies as specified in the AWS Cookie Notice. CancelSave preferences Your privacy choices We and our advertising partners (“we”) may use information we collect from or about you to show you ads on other websites and online services.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 18–23
In plain wordsThe company and its advertising partners use your information to show you personalized ads on other websites. This means your browsing activity is shared with third parties to track your interests for marketing purposes.

Can they read your private messages?Yes

15.4. We may suspend or terminate your access to SES, or block or decline to send or receive any SES Email, if we determine that your use of SES fails to comply with the AWS Acceptable Use Policy and these Terms, for example if: our scan of SES Email or Your Content included in SES Email reveals abusive or low quality email (such as “spam” or other harmful or unwanted items), SES Email bounces back to us or we receive abuse complaints (including complaints from third parties) in connection with your SES Email, or the source or ReturnPath email address you have provided us for “address bounces” or complaints is not successfully receiving email. 15.5.
aws.amazon.com/service-terms, lines 567–572
In plain wordsAWS may scan the content of your emails to check for spam, abuse, or low-quality content. This means they are reviewing the data within your messages to ensure you are following their usage rules.

Do they refuse responsibility when things break?Yes

EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT PROHIBITED BY LAW, AWS AND ITS AFFILIATES AND LICENSORS DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR QUIET ENJOYMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING OUT OF ANY COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. AWS’S AND ITS AFFILIATES’ AND LICENSORS’ AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ANY BETA SERVICES AND BETA REGIONS WILL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT YOU ACTUALLY PAY US UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR THE BETA SERVICES OR BETA REGIONS THAT GAVE RISE TO THE CLAIM DURING THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM. 3. Amazon CloudFront
aws.amazon.com/service-terms, lines 415–416
In plain wordsThis clause means the company does not guarantee its services will work perfectly and limits the amount of money you can recover if something goes wrong. If you use "Beta" services, the most you can ever get back is what you paid for those specific services over the last year.

Are they off the hook if your data leaks?Yes

To access the Services, you must have an AWS account associated with a valid email address and a valid form of payment. Unless explicitly permitted by the Service Terms, you will only create one account per email address. Except to the extent caused by our breach of this Agreement, (a) you are responsible for all activities that occur under your account, regardless of whether the activities are authorized by you or undertaken by you, your employees or a third party (including your contractors, agents or End Users), and (b) we and our affiliates are not responsible for unauthorized access to your account.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 50–50
In plain wordsYou are responsible for everything that happens in your account, and the company is not liable for unauthorized access unless they specifically broke the agreement. This means if someone hacks your account, the responsibility falls on you.

Do they use your data to target ads?Yes

We rely on our legitimate interests for this processing, including to help you find and discover features, products, and services that might be of interest to you. You may adjust your personalized advertising preferences by filling out the Your Privacy Choices form. Questions and Contacts. If you wish to do any of these things or have a data-protection related question, and you are an AWS customer, please contact us through your AWS Account.. If you are not an AWS customer, please fill out a request form. The data protection officer for Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL can be contacted at aws-EU-privacy@amazon.com.
aws.amazon.com/privacy, lines 1471–1473
In plain wordsThe company shares a coded version of your email address with advertisers to show you personalized ads based on your interests. You can change these advertising settings using their privacy form.

Do they lock you in for a year or more?Yes

Reserved Nodes are nontransferable, and all amounts paid in connection with Reserved Nodes are nonrefundable, except that if we terminate the Agreement other than for cause, terminate an individual Reserved Node type, or terminate the Reserved Node program, we will refund you a pro rata portion of any up-front fee paid in connection with any previously designated Reserved Node. Upon expiration or termination of the term of a Reserved Node, the Reserved Node pricing will expire and standard on-demand usage prices will apply to the Amazon Redshift node.
aws.amazon.com/service-terms, lines 859–859
In plain wordsOnce you select a term, you are committed to paying for the entire duration even if you cancel your service. You cannot get refunds for these nodes unless the company decides to end the program or cancel your specific node type.

Do you pay their legal bills?Yes

7.1 General. To the extent permitted by applicable law, you will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless us, our affiliates and licensors, and each of their respective employees, officers, directors, and representatives from and against any Losses arising out of or relating to any third-party claim concerning: (a) your or any End Users’ use of the Services (including any activities under your AWS account and use by your employees and personnel); (b) breach of this Agreement or violation of applicable law by you, End Users or Your Content; or (c) a dispute between you and any End User.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 96–96
In plain wordsYou are responsible for paying the company's legal fees and costs if they are sued because of your actions, your users' actions, or your violation of the agreement. This includes paying for their lawyers and the time their staff spends responding to legal orders related to these claims.

Do they own your ideas and feedback?Yes

6.5 Suggestions. If you provide any Suggestions to us or our affiliates, we and our affiliates will be entitled to use the Suggestions without restriction. You hereby irrevocably assign to us all right, title, and interest in and to the Suggestions and agree to provide us any assistance we require to document, perfect, and maintain our rights in the Suggestions. 7. Indemnification.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 94–95
In plain wordsAny ideas or feedback you share become the company's property to use however they want without paying you. You also give up all legal rights to those suggestions.

Must disputes be settled in their chosen court?Yes

The arbitration will take place in the City of São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil. There will be three arbitrators. The fees and expenses of the arbitrators and the administering authority, if any, will be paid in equal proportion by the parties. The parties agree that the existence of and information relating to any such arbitration proceedings will not be disclosed by either party and will constitute confidential information. The Governing Courts will have exclusive jurisdiction for the sole purposes of (i) ensuring the commencement of the arbitral proceedings;
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 118–118
In plain wordsYou cannot sue the company in your local court; instead, you are forced to resolve all disputes through private arbitration in São Paulo, Brazil. This means you would likely have to travel to Brazil and hire specific experts to handle your case.

Do they keep your data after you leave?Partly

After account closure, we may need to keep certain information for an additional period of time for legal and legitimate business purposes. For example, we may retain personal information such as your contact information (for example, name, email address, physical address) and any invoices that AWS has sent to you (for example, record of purchases, applicable discounts, and tax information) for tax and accounting purposes. If applicable, AWS may also retain records of communications with you, as well as relevant logs (for example, a log of your account closure) for dispute resolution purposes.
aws.amazon.com/privacy, lines 1462–1463
In plain wordsThe company will continue to store some of your personal details and transaction records even after you close your account. They keep this information to comply with tax laws, handle potential legal disputes, and prevent fraud.

Can they change the deal without asking?Partly

We may modify this Agreement (including any Policies) at any time by posting a revised version on the AWS Site or by otherwise notifying you in accordance with Section 11.10. The modified terms will become effective upon posting or, if we notify you by email, as stated in the email message. By continuing to use the Services or AWS Content after the effective date of any modifications to this Agreement, you agree to be bound by the modified terms. It is your responsibility to check the AWS Site regularly for modifications to this Agreement. We last modified this Agreement on the date listed at the beginning of this Agreement. 11. Miscellaneous.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 109–110
In plain wordsThe company can change the rules whenever they want, and if you keep using their services, you are automatically agreeing to the new rules. It is up to you to check their website regularly to see if anything has changed.

Can your data go to a buyer if the company is sold?Partly

Business Transfers: As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy businesses or services. In such transactions, personal information generally is one of the transferred business assets but remains subject to the promises made in any pre-existing Privacy Notice (unless, of course, the individual consents otherwise). Also, in the unlikely event that AWS or substantially all of its assets are acquired, your information will of course be one of the transferred assets.
aws.amazon.com/privacy, lines 1386–1387
In plain wordsIf the company is sold, merged, or goes through a major business change, your personal information will be transferred to the new owner as part of the deal. However, the new company must still follow the same privacy promises that were in place before the transfer.

Do they keep rights to your content after you leave?Partly

(C) in order to comply with the law or requests of governmental entities. 5.3 Effect of Termination. (a) Generally.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 78–85
In plain wordsSome parts of the agreement, including the rights to use your content, continue to apply even after you close your account. This means the company may still have certain permissions regarding your data after termination.

Can they cut you off any time?Partly

Amazon Sidewalk is provided by Ring LLC, however usage of and connectivity to Amazon Sidewalk from AWS is included as a part of AWS IoT Core for Amazon Sidewalk. You agree to, and must comply with, the following (which can be found in the Amazon Sidewalk User Guide): (i) the Amazon Sidewalk Program Requirements; (ii) the On Amazon Sidewalk qualification program; and (iii) the Amazon Sidewalk Program Security Requirements. We may suspend or terminate Amazon Sidewalk and/or your access to it at any time without prior notice.
aws.amazon.com/service-terms, lines 777–777
In plain wordsThe company can stop your access to Amazon Sidewalk or shut down the service entirely whenever they want without telling you beforehand.

Do they track you across sites, apps or places?Partly

53.9.1. Your use of Amazon Chime SDK speaker search is subject to additional Biometric Notice and Consent Service Terms. 53.10. Amazon Chime SDK ML Services use machine learning models that generate predictions based on patterns in data. Output generated by Amazon Chime SDK ML Services is probabilistic and should be evaluated for accuracy as appropriate for your use case, including by employing human review of the output or combining it with other verification factors. You and your End Users are responsible for all decisions made, advice given, actions taken, and failures to take action based on your use of Amazon Chime SDK ML Services. 53.11.
aws.amazon.com/service-terms, lines 956–958
In plain wordsUsing the speaker search feature may involve the collection of your biometric data. You are also subject to additional specific terms regarding how this biometric information is handled.

Can they hand your data to authorities without telling you?Partly

You consent to the storage of Your Content in, and transfer of Your Content into, the AWS regions you select. We will not access or use Your Content except as necessary to maintain or provide the Services, or as necessary to comply with the law or a binding order of a governmental body. We will not (a) disclose Your Content to any government or third party or (b) move Your Content from the AWS regions selected by you; except in each case as necessary to comply with the law or a binding order of a governmental body. Unless it would violate the law or a binding order of a governmental body, we will give you notice of any legal requirement or order referred to in this Section 1.4.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 46–46
In plain wordsThe company can share your data with the government if required by law or a court order. They will only promise to notify you if the law or a legal order does not specifically forbid them from doing so.

Does your subscription renew by itself?Partly

67.4.4. Auto-Renewal. Unless you notify us before a charge that you want to cancel or do not want to auto renew, your Digital Training subscription will automatically continue and you authorize us (without notice to you, unless required by applicable law) to collect the then-applicable subscription service fees and any taxes, using any payment method we have on record for you. We may change the Digital Training subscription service fee from time to time by notifying you of the change and effective date before it takes effect. You may reject the change by cancelling your subscription at no additional cost at any time before a subscription service fee change takes effect.
aws.amazon.com/service-terms, lines 1071–1071
In plain wordsYour subscription will automatically renew and your saved payment method will be charged unless you cancel before the next billing date.

Checked, nothing hostile

  • Lets you delete your account or data.
  • Does not say it uses your content or data to train AI.
  • Does not say it shows your name, photo or activity in ads.

Not covered by these documents

The documents we read do not mention these practices, which usually live in a document we haven’t read yet:

  • Do they combine your data across products?