Make it Simple, or Force Users to Read?: Paraphrased Design Improves Comprehension of End User License Agreements

Users often react negatively towards applications that track their personal information, even though they have consented to such tracking by hitting the "I Agree" button on the application's end user license agreement (EULA). This is because most users do not read the EULA carefully. The language and presentation of EULAs are often dull, dense and inaccessible. Researchers have proposed design options for heightening comprehension of EULA content, but the effectiveness of these suggestions is unclear. To address this gap, we conducted an experiment that examined how users' attitudes towards EULAs are affected by paraphrased and forced EULA formats. Paraphrased EULA presentations increased the time spent on reading the EULA. Moreover, they elicited more positive attitudes toward the EULA, which in turn predicted better comprehension. These findings hold implications for design of EULAs by showing that complex content displayed in simple terms across multiple windows can increase reader comprehension.