The Misleading Claims of Scribd: An Analysis of its Downloading Policy

Abstract: Scribd is an online platform for sharing documents, books, and audiobooks. One of its
features is the ability to download documents once a user creates an account. However, this
claim is misleading as the company does not allow users to download documents until they
upload a document themselves. This paper analyzes Scribd’s downloading policy and highlights
the issues with the company’s claims.

Introduction: Scribd was launched in 2007 as a document-sharing platform, where users could
upload, share, and read various documents. Over the years, the company has expanded its
offerings to include books and audiobooks. Scribd claims to have over 100 million active users
and a collection of over 80 million documents, books, and audiobooks. One of the features that
Scribd promotes is the ability to download documents once a user creates an account.
However, the company’s downloading policy is misleading, as users cannot download
documents until they upload a document themselves.

Body: Scribd’s downloading policy is outlined on its website. The company claims that users can
download documents once they create an account. However, in the fine print, Scribd notes that
users cannot download any document until they upload a document first. This requirement is not
mentioned in the main advertising of the platform, and it is easy for users to overlook this
requirement.

This downloading policy raises several issues. First, it is a misleading claim. The company
advertises that users can download documents without any mention of the upload requirement.
This is a disingenuous tactic to attract more users to the platform. Second, Scribd’s policy is a
barrier to access for those who only want to download documents and not upload anything. Not
everyone has something to share, and some users may want to use Scribd solely as a platform
for accessing documents.

Another issue with Scribd’s downloading policy is that it is time-consuming and inconvenient for
users. Users must upload a document before they can download any other document. This
requirement means that users have to spend time uploading a document, which may not be
their primary goal when using the platform. Additionally, some users may not want to upload a
document due to privacy concerns or other reasons.

Finally, Scribd’s policy is also problematic because it may lead to the spread of misinformation.
Since users must upload a document before downloading any other documents, this
requirement incentivizes users to upload any document, regardless of its accuracy or quality.
This approach may lead to the spread of false information or unreliable sources.

Conclusion: Scribd’s claim of allowing users to download documents once they create an
account is misleading. The company requires users to upload a document before they can
download anything, which is a disingenuous tactic to attract more users to the platform. This
requirement is a barrier to access, time-consuming, and may lead to the spread of
 The Misleading Claims of Scribd: An Analysis of its Downloading Policy

misinformation. The company should be transparent about its downloading policy and remove
the requirement to upload a document before downloading.