OTTAWA – The Competition Bureau is urging online video streaming services in Canada to revisit their marketing practices and related terms and conditions "to follow best practices and comply with the law” as a result of its annual sweep of the internet.
The Bureau said Tuesday that it has sent letters to the service's operators to remind them that, under the Competition Act, terms and conditions cannot be used to hide the real meaning of a marketing message or to bury important information, such as the true cost of a service.
“The terms and conditions are an important part of a transaction between a customer and a business”, reads the Bureau’s statement. “When they are clear, complete and accurate, they can benefit both consumers and businesses.”
Operators of online video streaming services were asked to ensure that their terms and conditions:
- are clear to consumers, and don’t mislead or deceive them;
- are transparent and highlight the most important points;
- do not bury important information in long and complicated terms and conditions; and
- comply with the Competition Act and other relevant consumer protection and privacy laws.
“At the Competition Bureau, we believe that it makes good business sense for companies to comply with the law”, said interim commissioner of competition Matthew Boswell, in a statement. “Compliance campaigns like this one are one way we can guide businesses in the right direction. We expect that the targeted online video streaming services will take this warning seriously.”
The Bureau’s terms and conditions best practices for businesses are available here.
