28 May 2016

Slow (consumer) TV

From This Way Up, 12:15 pm on 28 May 2016
The marathon terms and conditions reading ends

The marathon terms and conditions reading ends Photo: (Supplied)

The latest offering from the world of 'slow TV', a TV format pioneered in Scandinavia that glorifies the everyday, the ordinary and the sedate, is a live reading of a huge volume of terms and conditions that the average smartphone user is likely to encounter.

These T&C's or EULAs (an end user license agreement) aren't exactly scintillating stuff. In fact they seem positively dull compared to other great slow TV hits, like unedited footage of a ferry trip, somebody knitting or a flickering open fire.

But there is a serious point. Norway's Consumer Council is hoping to make us all more aware of these legal agreements that we sign up to when we download an app or visit a web site.  They're lengthy, complex, confusing and full of legalese. Finn Myrstad was among those reading these terms and conditions for over 31 hours.