Terms of service are the legal agreements between the provider of a service—such as a website—and the users of the service. When a user is given proper notice of these terms and agrees to or accepts the terms by some affirmative act, such as continuing to use the service or ticking a box to indicate agreement, the parties form an enforceable contract regarding the user’s use or purchase of the product or service. Terms of service are also commonly referred to as terms of use, terms and conditions, or abbreviated as TOS or T&C.

In Rhode Island, as in other states, terms of service (TOS), also known as terms of use or terms and conditions, are considered legally binding agreements between a service provider and the user. These terms outline the rules and guidelines that users must follow to use a website or service, and they often include provisions related to privacy, user conduct, and intellectual property. For the agreement to be enforceable, the user must be given proper notice of the terms and must indicate their agreement through an affirmative act, such as checking a box or continuing to use the service. Rhode Island courts, following general contract principles, will enforce these terms if they are found to be fair and if the user had a reasonable opportunity to review them before agreeing. However, if terms are deemed unconscionable or not clearly presented to the user, they may not be enforceable. It is important for service providers to ensure that their TOS are clear, accessible, and properly acknowledged by users to ensure enforceability.