The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that companies can update their Terms of Service via email notification, and continued use of a service after receiving such notice constitutes consent to the new terms. This precedent-setting decision clarifies the legal standard for digital contract modifications and could significantly impact how online services manage user agreements. The ruling addresses a key legal question about whether passive acceptance through continued use is sufficient for binding contractual changes.
Background
There has been ongoing legal debate about whether simply continuing to use a service after receiving an email about updated terms constitutes valid consent to those changes. Courts have previously been divided on this issue, creating uncertainty for both companies and consumers.
- Source
- Hacker News (RSS)
- Published
- Mar 9, 2026 at 02:28 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10