A federal court Thursday ruled that the often lengthy online agreements customers face when registering for sites and apps are binding, even if customers don’t fully understand or take the time to read them, giving a boost to companies seeking to avoid class-action lawsuits.

The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals found that Uber Technologies Inc. customers sign over their rights to sue in court when they click to agree to the ride-hailing company’s terms of service, which include a provision requiring arbitration.

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