A common practice among tech start-ups is using boilerplate language in their terms and conditions, bits of legalese that are slathered all over their agreements to cover themselves in all circumstances while assuring users that they don’t really reflect the company’s true intentions.

While it may be the case that sometimes terms are initially written without nefariousness in mind, one highly useful feature of boilerplate language is that it comes in handy on a rainy day – such as when a failing start-up needs to sell itself off for scrap or make a hasty pivot to a new business model.