Author(s)

Longyu Xie ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Corresponding Author

Longyu Xie

ABSTRACT

The marketing tactic of eye-catching headlines paired with fine-print disclaimers in online advertising enables business operators to exploit asymmetries in information presentation by concealing material restrictions and exemption clauses in inconspicuous locations. Such practices are designed to induce consumers into transactions while minimizing legal liability. The validity of these fine-print clauses therefore hinges on whether the operator has fulfilled the duty of prominent disclosure. Grounded in Article 496 of the Civil Code, which provides that a standard term shall not be incorporated into a contract if the supplying party fails to perform its duty of notification or explanation, this paper examines the issue from the perspective of standard terms control. Drawing on theories of incorporation control in electronic contracts, the study integrates the doctrine of unusual terms with traditional incorporation rules and constructs a three-tier progressive framework for validity determination: general incorporation, individual incorporation, and validity control. At the general incorporation stage, the focus is on accessibility and formal prominence of standard terms. At the individual incorporation stage, the criterion shifts to whether consumers can actually notice and understand clauses concerning material interests, with heightened requirements for unusual terms. At the validity control stage, substantive fairness is introduced to assess the legality of the clause content. This framework enhances doctrinal clarity, improves judicial reasoning, and enables the integration of procedural and substantive regulation, thereby providing theoretical support for regulating online advertising practices and strengthening consumer protection.

KEYWORDS

Obligation of prominent disclosure; Fineprint disclaimer; Standard terms; Incorporation control; Unusual terms

CITE THIS PAPER

Longyu Xie. Validity Identification of Small Print Disclaimer Clauses in Online Advertisements from the Perspective of the Obligation to Prominently Inform. Science of Law Journal (2026). Vol. 5, No. 2, 70-79. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/DOI: 10.23977/law.2026.050211.

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