Plain-language reference
The terms behind the controls.
Fourteen definitions to help read a platform brief, a checkout or an account setting with fewer assumptions.
- Access period
The time during which a particular purchase or membership permits access. It may continue after renewal is disabled.
Read the guide ↗- Account closure
Ending an account relationship. Its consequences can differ from cancelling a subscription or requesting data erasure.
Read the guide ↗- Age assurance
Methods used to establish whether a person meets an age condition. The exact method and applicable requirements can vary.
Read the guide ↗- Auto-renewal
A recurring arrangement that authorizes another charge unless the applicable conditions or cancellation state stop it.
Read the guide ↗- Billing model
The rules governing when a membership is charged and what happens when it changes or ends.
Read the guide ↗- Chargeback
A payment-dispute process through a payment provider. It is separate from a platform’s refund and cancellation controls.
Read the guide ↗- Consent documentation
A record of permission for a defined use. It is different from ownership of copyright and may have platform-specific requirements.
Read the guide ↗- Creator
The person or entity offering a membership or work through a platform. The platform and creator can have distinct responsibilities.
Read the guide ↗- Data retention
Keeping information for a stated period or purpose. Account closure does not necessarily erase every record.
Read the guide ↗- One-off purchase
A particular transaction distinct from a recurring membership. Read its own price and access conditions.
Read the guide ↗- Proration
An adjustment based on a portion of a billing period. Do not assume a platform provides it for a tier change.
Read the guide ↗- Renewal date
The date associated with a future recurring payment. A payment can be processing near that date.
Read the guide ↗- Subscription tier
A level of membership with a stated price and benefits. Switching can change both payment and access.
Read the guide ↗- Two-factor authentication
A login control using an additional factor beyond a password. Its protection does not establish the reliability of a purchase.
Read the guide ↗