Cablevision Adds Arbitration Clause to Terms of Service

September 29, 2011

Cable operator Cablevision is the latest company to add a mandatory arbitration clause to the fine print of their terms of service. Broadband Reports confirmed with Cablevision that the new TOS includes arbitration language, which the publication describes as "cookie cutter" because it prohibits users from having a jury trial or participating in a class action lawsuit against the company.

Broadband Reports also notes that users in its Cablevision forums have told them that the company began informing customers of the changes with their monthly bills. Cablevision has confirmed that the bill notification process started this month, and that the company's policies (found at this link) will be updated online later this week.

Cablevision customers have thirty days to opt out of the arbitration clause by sending an email to NOARBITRATION@CABLEVISION.COM.

Source: Broadband Reports

Comments

Re: Cablevision Adds Arbitration Clause to Terms of Service

Submitted by Craig R. on Fri, 09/30/2011 - 01:00.

Expect a lot more of this:

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/21/7863184-after-high-court-r...

Re: Cablevision Adds Arbitration Clause to Terms of Service

Submitted by GrimCW on Thu, 09/29/2011 - 17:22.

tbh this is getting out of hand, i can see a fairly large lawsuit brewing to ban this kind of ToS agreement given the implications it has towards the consumer.

its nearly a "i can beat you to a pulp, but you can't touch me here or in court" style agreement, and i just can't see how it could legaly stand for long.

Re: Cablevision Adds Arbitration Clause to Terms of Service

Submitted by nighstalker160 on Thu, 09/29/2011 - 14:21.

I'm relatively certain that jury trial part wouldn't be enforceable. The Constitution guarantees a right to a jury trial in disputes over a certain amount (I think it's actually $20). I don't know what the case law is in that area, but it wouldn't shock me if you couldn't contract that away. 

Re: Cablevision Adds Arbitration Clause to Terms of Service

Submitted by olstar18 on Fri, 09/30/2011 - 04:08.

Unfortunately according to a supreme court decision it is.

Re: Cablevision Adds Arbitration Clause to Terms of Service

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Thu, 09/29/2011 - 14:14.

Well, it's nice of Cablevision to allow its customers to send an email.

 

Andrew Eisen

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