How Risk Scoring Works

The 1-10 Risk Scale

Every scan produces a risk score between 1 (minimal risk) and 10 (extreme risk). The score reflects how consumer-unfriendly the Terms of Service are overall.

Severity Levels

Scores map to three severity bands:

RangeLabelColorMeaning ------------------------------ 1-3InfoGreenStandard terms with minimal concerns 4-6CautionAmberSome clauses worth reviewing before agreeing 7-10WarningRedSignificant risks, read carefully before accepting

Risk Categories

Clauses are classified into six categories, each targeting a different area of concern:

CategoryWhat It Covers -------------------------- Data PrivacyData collection, sharing with third parties, tracking, retention policies ArbitrationMandatory arbitration, class action waivers, jury trial waivers LiabilityLimitation of liability, indemnification, warranty disclaimers Content/IPContent licensing, IP ownership transfer, broad usage grants BillingAuto-renewal, hidden fees, unilateral price changes, cancellation hurdles AccountUnilateral termination, account suspension, data deletion on termination

How the Score Is Calculated

The overall risk score is a weighted average of category-level scores:

1. Clause severity. Each flagged clause receives an individual risk score (1-10) based on how much it restricts or disadvantages the user.

2. Category score. Clauses within the same category are aggregated. Categories with more severe clauses score higher.

3. Category weighting. Each category carries a weight reflecting its relative impact:

CategoryWeight ------------------ Data Privacy25% Arbitration20% Liability20% Content/IP15% Billing10% Account10%

4. Overall score. The weighted sum of all category scores produces the final 1-10 rating.

Weights are pre-configured and reflect general consumer impact. They do not vary per user or per scan.

Example Calculation

Consider a ToS with two major findings:

• Mandatory arbitration with class action waiver: Arbitration category score 8/10
• Broad data sharing with third parties: Data Privacy category score 7/10

Assuming other categories score low (1-3 range), the calculation might look like:

CategoryScoreWeightContribution -------------------------------------- Data Privacy725%1.75 Arbitration820%1.60 Liability320%0.60 Content/IP215%0.30 Billing110%0.10 Account210%0.20 Overall4.55 rounds to 5

The result is a 5/10, landing in the Amber Caution range.

Color Coding Reference

Results are displayed with consistent color coding throughout the extension and web app:

ScoreBadge ColorHex ------------------------- 1-3Green#22c55e 4-6Amber#f59e0b 7-10Red#ef4444

These colors appear in risk badges, category breakdowns, and the overlay UI to give you an at-a-glance sense of severity.