Before you sign
Most NDA problems trace back to a small set of clauses — scope, duration, and mutuality. Plainview scans the whole agreement and flags overbroad definitions, one-sided obligations, and disguised non-competes, so you know exactly what you're agreeing to before you sign.
Most NDAs are boilerplate, but boilerplate isn't neutral — it's often written to favor whoever drafted it. Knowing where the imbalance tends to show up turns a vague unease into a short list you can check on any NDA in a few minutes.
These are the clauses worth reading twice:
A definition of "confidential information" so wide it could cover things you already knew, publicly available facts, or your own general skills and experience.
Obligations that bind only you, even when both parties are exchanging sensitive information — a sign the agreement wasn't drafted with mutual interest in mind.
A confidentiality period with no end date, or one that runs far longer than the information could plausibly stay sensitive.
Language framed as "confidentiality" that actually restricts where you can work or what skills you can use afterward.
A clause letting one party change the agreement's terms later without your separate consent.
A pre-set penalty for breach that's disconnected from any realistic estimate of actual harm.
A one-way NDA protecting a single disclosing party can be entirely reasonable — that's the normal shape of the document when only one side is sharing something sensitive. The flag isn't one-sidedness by itself; it's one-sidedness despite both parties exchanging information, which usually means the obligations were never rebalanced after the deal structure changed.
Checking which type of NDA you're actually looking at is the first step, before checking any individual clause.
How Plainview helps
Plainview flags overbroad definitions, one-sided obligations, indefinite terms, and disguised non-competes, and explains in plain English what each one means for you specifically.
Analyze a document → Your first analysis is on us — no card required to start.The provisions worth checking first are overly broad definitions of "confidential information," one-sided obligations that only bind you, indefinite or unreasonably long confidentiality periods, non-compete language disguised as confidentiality, and unilateral rights to amend the agreement later.
Some one-sided NDAs are legitimate, such as when only one party is disclosing sensitive information. But when both sides are sharing information and only one party carries obligations, that imbalance is worth questioning before signing.
An NDA is meant to protect confidential information, not restrict where you work. If a "confidentiality" clause is written broadly enough to prevent you from using general skills or knowledge at a future job, it may function as an unenforceable disguised non-compete, and its enforceability varies by state.