TermsRating
Companies / Amazon Web Services / Terms of Service

Amazon Web Services Terms of Service

8 serious, 5 to watch. Found 15 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 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.

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 refuse responsibility when things break?Yes

THE SERVICES AND AWS CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS.” EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT PROHIBITED BY LAW, OR TO THE EXTENT ANY STATUTORY RIGHTS APPLY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED, LIMITED OR WAIVED, WE AND OUR AFFILIATES AND LICENSORS (A) MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE REGARDING THE SERVICES OR AWS CONTENT OR THE THIRD-PARTY CONTENT, AND (B) DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS WARRANTIES (I) OF MERCHANTABILITY, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR QUIET ENJOYMENT, (II) ARISING OUT OF ANY COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE, (III) THAT THE SERVICES OR AWS CONTENT OR THIRD-PARTY CONTE
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 104–105
In plain wordsThis clause means the company provides no guarantees that the service will work correctly, be secure, or be suitable for your needs. If something breaks, contains errors, or fails to work as expected, the company is not responsible for fixing it or compensating you.

Do they use your data to target ads?Yes

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. Under certain laws, this activity is referred to as “cross-context behavioral advertising” or “targeted advertising.”
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 18–23
In plain wordsThe company and its partners use information collected about you to show you personalized ads on other websites. This means your browsing activity is used to target you with specific marketing content.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

Any assignment or transfer in violation of this Section 11.1 will be void. We may assign this Agreement without your consent (a) in connection with a merger, acquisition or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or (b) to any affiliate or as part of a corporate reorganization; and effective upon such assignment, the assignee is deemed substituted for AWS as a party to this Agreement and AWS is fully released from all of its obligations and duties to perform under this Agreement.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 111–112
In plain wordsIf the company is sold, merges with another company, or undergoes a reorganization, your contract and data can be transferred to the new owner without needing your permission. Once this happens, the new company takes over all responsibilities, and the original company is no longer responsible for your agreement.

Can they cut you off any time?Partly

5.1 Term. The term of this Agreement will commence on the Effective Date and will remain in effect until terminated under this Section 5. Any notice of termination of this Agreement by either party to the other must include a Termination Date that complies with the notice periods in Section 5.2. 5.2 Termination. (a) Termination for Convenience. You may terminate this Agreement for any reason by providing us notice and closing your account for all Services for which we provide an account closing mechanism. We may terminate this Agreement for any reason by providing you at least 30 days’ advance notice. (b) Termination for Cause.
aws.amazon.com/agreement, lines 68–71
In plain wordsThe company can end your agreement for any reason, as long as they give you at least 30 days' notice.

Checked, nothing hostile

  • Does not say it reads your private messages.
  • Does not describe following you across sites, apps or devices, or collecting your face or fingerprints.

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 get wide rights to what you post or upload?
  • Do they refuse to let you delete your account?
  • Do they use what you post to train AI?
  • Do they lock you in for a year or more?
  • Do they keep your data after you leave?
  • Can your name or photo appear in ads?
  • Do they combine your data across products?
  • Does your subscription renew by itself?