Confusing tick boxes

Former_MSE_Will

Forms and websites are filled with tick boxes to get your consent for marketing, add ons like insurance and more.

We're concerned they're a recipe for confusion. Sometimes a tick means 'yes', sometimes 'no'. Many are pre-ticked and easily overlooked.

Have you seen any confusing tick boxes? Have they caught you out? Please let us know and feel free to send us links!

DoaM

I thought legislation (or at least guidelines) had already been put in place that compelled any such request to require active user interaction? i.e. you have to actively tick a box to accept to receive marketing stuff?

If this is being followed then it is very straightforward - no tick = no marketing. If it's not being followed then - learn to read properly; don't skim-read important things. (In my experience it is rare for the wording against such tick boxes to be so obtuse as to cause confusion ... if you can understand written English).

twhitehousescat

halforsds website , default is junk mail, you have to tick to opt out , either way they still send junk

Le_Kirk

Tick box, untick box, makes no difference, lots of sites ignore it and send stuff anyway. Even shops have started it now (has been reported on MSE Forums). I was asked for my e-mail address last week so they could "send me an electronic copy of the receipt" I asked "do you think I am walking out of your shop without a receipt for my £600?" I received a printed receipt but I gave my e-mail address after I received assurances that I would not receive any marketing. When I arrived home, there was already an e-mail asking me to participate in a survey about how well they had done. I told them!!!!

agrinnall

Caveat emptor - consumers must read and respond accordingly to every tick box they encounter. However, I believe it would be best to ensure that a positive selection is always required, whatever the question, one of the worst culprits are software downloads that pretick the box for making Chrome the default browser.

scrimperdave

On 20th October 2016 I used Homebase's "Reserve and Collect" on their website. I was very careful to tick the opt-OUT (!) of communications check boxes.

The next day I started receiving marketing materials: "Thank you for signing up" it began. I replied thus:

[FONT=&quot]"I made sure I ticked the boxes that said "I DO NOT want newsletters" and "I DO NOT want to receive offers." Yet I am receiving a newsletter already. If I receive another, I will be complaining to the office of the Information Commissioner about your disregard of my wishes, and the fraudulent nature of your opt-out boxes (which should be "opt-in").

To be clear: You do NOT have my permission to share the details I provided, or use them for marketing purposes."[/FONT]

I received an apology and no more newsletters.

iviv

While it won't help for websites, there's an awesome piece of software called unchecky that has a database of a large number of pieces of computer software that has checkboxes that will automatically download extra 'free' software for you at the same time, like the chrome downloads mentioned by agrinnall, and it just automatically unchecks all of those boxes for you. Useful in case you aren't thinking clearly and accidentally leave one of them checked.

Pollycat

agrinnall wrote: »

Caveat emptor - consumers must read and respond accordingly to every tick box they encounter. However, I believe it would be best to ensure that a positive selection is always required, whatever the question, one of the worst culprits are software downloads that pretick the box for making Chrome the default browser.

I agree with this, I read everything before I tick, untick or don't tick a box.

I really dislike it when I have to install a new version of Adobe and the 'install McAfee antivirus sotware' box is already ticked.

I don't want it!
I've deinstalled everything Mcafee as it was driving me crazy with pop-ups.

Le_Kirk

I also hate those sites that, when you have assiduously unticked or ticked every tick-box, you have to make an adjustment (maybe you missed one of the many fields you have to fill in) and suddenly all the tick boxes have defaulted in favour of the web site!!

agrinnall

Pollycat wrote: »

I really dislike it when I have to install a new version of Adobe and the 'install McAfee antivirus sotware' box is already ticked.

I don't want it!

Yes, that's the other particularly annoying one, and I agree, I don't want it either - and even if I did I certainly don't want Adobe deciding it for me!

Pollycat

agrinnall wrote: »

Yes, that's the other particularly annoying one, and I agree, I don't want it either - and even if I did I certainly don't want Adobe deciding it for me!

And on the same subject I don't like the 'automatically update with new version' being ticked (not sure what the accurate wording is).

I always untick that and tick the 'ask me before updating'.