1. Introduction
This specification has the goal to introduce concepts needed to model risk in contractual clauses from Terms of Services. As such, building on the DPV specification and its Risk extension, we provide a set of terms to represent unfair terms as risk:RiskSource and legal mitigation mechanisms as dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure.
1.1. Namespaces
Commonly used namespace prefixes used in this specification:
@prefix dcterms: <http://purl.org/dc/terms/> . @prefix rdf: <http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#> . @prefix tosl-risk: <https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#> . @prefix dpv: <https://w3id.org/dpv#> . @prefix risk: <https://w3id.org/dpv/risk#> . @prefix justifications: <https://w3id.org/dpv/justifications#> .
2. Vocabulary
2.1. Risk Sources
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#UnfairContractClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Unfair Contract Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause creating a significant imbalance between the rights and obligations of the provider and the consumer |
| Parent | risk:OrganisationalManagementRisk |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ArbitrationClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Arbitration Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause requiring the consumer to resolve disputes through arbitration before initiating legal proceedings |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(q) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ChoiceOfLawClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Choice of Law Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause establishing that disputes are governed by the law of a jurisdiction different from the consumer’s place of residence |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | Article 3(1) UCTD and Article 6 (2) UCTD |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ContentRemovalClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Content Removal Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause allowing the provider to unilaterally remove consumer’s content |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | GDPR and CJEU |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ContractByUsingClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Contract by Using Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause stating that the contractual terms are accepted through the consumer’s use of the service |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(i) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#JurisdictionClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Jurisdiction Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause requiring disputes to be resolved outside the consumer’s country of residence |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | Article 3(1) UCTD |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#LimitationOfLiabilityClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Limitation of Liability Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause limiting the provider’s responsibility for damages or losses incurred by the consumer while using the service |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(b) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#UnilateralChangeClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Unilateral Change Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause allowing the provider to unilaterally modify the contract or the service |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(j and k) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#UnilateralTerminationClause |
|---|---|
| Label | Unilateral Termination Clause |
| Type | dpv:RiskConcept, dpv:PotentialRiskSource, dpv:PotentialRisk |
| Definition | Clause allowing the provider to unilaterally terminate the contract or access to the service |
| Parent | tosl-risk:UnfairContractClause |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(f and g) |
2.2. Risk Mitigation Measures & Justifications
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#DeletionJustification |
|---|---|
| Label | Deletion Justification |
| Type | dpv:Justification |
| Definition | Control that requires providing justified reasons when user data is deleted |
| Parent | justifications:ExerciseJustification |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ChangeJustification |
|---|---|
| Label | Deletion Justification |
| Type | dpv:Justification |
| Definition | Control that requires providing justified reasons when contractual terms are modified |
| Parent | justifications:ExerciseJustification |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(j), 1(k) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#TerminationJustification |
|---|---|
| Label | Termination Justification |
| Type | dpv:Justification |
| Definition | Control that requires providing justified reasons when a service is terminated |
| Parent | justifications:ExerciseJustification |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(g) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#AccessToCourts |
|---|---|
| Label | Access to Courts |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that ensures consumers retain the right to take legal action without being required arbitration |
| Parent | dpv:OrganisationalMeasure |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(q) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ConsumerResidenceJurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Label | Consumer Residence Jurisdiction |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that ensures disputes can be brought before the courts of the consumer’s place of residence |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ConsumerCountryGoverningLaw |
|---|---|
| Label | Consumer Country Governing Law |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that ensures the applicable law corresponds to the consumer’s country of residence |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#DeletionNotice |
|---|---|
| Label | Deletion Notice |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that requires notifying the consumer in advance before deleting user data |
| Parent | dpv:Notice |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#DataRetrievalMechanism |
|---|---|
| Label | Data Retrieval Mechanism |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that ensures consumers can retrieve their stored data when user data is deleted |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ExplicitConsentControl |
|---|---|
| Label | Explicit Consent Control |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that requires the consumer’s explicit consent before accepting the contractual terms |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(i) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#RightToCompensation |
|---|---|
| Label | Right to Compensation |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that ensures consumers can receive compensation when damages occur due to the provider’s actions or contractual obligations |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(b) |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ChangeNotice |
|---|---|
| Label | Change Notice |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that requires notifying consumers within a defined notice period before changes to contractual terms or service functionality |
| Parent | dpv:Notice |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#ReaffirmConsent |
|---|---|
| Label | Reaffirm Consent |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that requires consumers to reaffirm their consent when contractual terms or services are modified |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#RightToTerminateAfterChange |
|---|---|
| Label | Right to Terminate After Change |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | Control that ensures consumers can terminate the contract when they do not accept new contractual terms |
| IRI | https://w3id.org/tosl/risk#TerminationNotice |
|---|---|
| Label | Termination Notice |
| Type | dpv:RiskMitigationMeasure |
| Definition | CControl that requires notifying consumers within a defined notice period before terminating the service |
| Parent | dpv:Notice |
| Source | Annex UCTD. 1(g) |