Legalese

Complex, technical legal language characterized by jargon, archaic terms, and convoluted sentence structures that is difficult for non-lawyers to understand. Privacy policies and terms of service have historically been written in legalese, making them inaccessible to average users. However, modern privacy laws increasingly require plain language that ordinary people can understand. GDPR Article 12 requires information to be concise, transparent, intelligible, and in clear and plain language. CalOPPA requires reasonably accessible and understandable privacy policies. The trend is away from legalese toward user-friendly communication. Organizations should write privacy notices in plain language, avoid unnecessary legal jargon, use short sentences and common words, provide examples where helpful, test readability with non-lawyers, and layer information for different audience needs. You can still achieve legal accuracy without legalese. Clear communication builds trust and ensures meaningful transparency.