What did I just sign?

So there you are, at the doctor’s office, checking in and going through all the paperwork and confirming all same stuff you just confirmed two days ago. But hey, I might have changed my name and moved to… and back from… Alaska since then.  Stranger things have happened.  But I digress. Anyway, you get to the point about privacy, because you know, our privacy is their #1 priority… that’s why laws needed to be passed making it so.

But I digress again. Anyway, you’re told, “Please sign in the blank box on the screen. It’s just saying that you’ve been offered a copy of our privacy policy.” Did you catch that? It’s **JUST** <whatever> (we’ll come back to this later). In other words, it’s nothing to be worried about. A mere trifle. Beneath my important self. Don’t worry my pretty little head. Or, phrased differently, just shut up and sign it.

I know, I know, I can ask for a copy of what it is, but really… how do I know the two are tied together? For all I know black helicopters may swoop in as soon as I sign it and shock troops will rappel out and take over my front yard, all while accusing me of some international conspiracy.

Had the same thing happen a couple days ago when I had to have some some plumbing work done. At the end the guy hands me a tablet and tells me I need to sign in the big blank space. “It just…”… see? there’s that word again… “…says that you are perfectly satisfied with the job.”

Does it? Bear in mind that I am purposely avoiding the unnecessary use of the word ‘perfect’. For all I know I just signed over the deed to my house while agreeing to continue to make payments. Phfft! <shrug>

In true “Back in my day…” mode, I don’t think it unreasonable that we go back to signing paper copies. Or at least make it obvious WHAT we’re signing.

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