The agreement limits Coursera's liability to exclude indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of data, profits, or revenues, arising from platform use, third-party conduct on the platform, content obtained from the platform, or unauthorized access to user data. This limitation applies to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
This analysis describes what Coursera's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision limits the categories of damages users may recover from Coursera in the event of platform failures, data loss, unauthorized access, or third-party misconduct on the platform. The carve-out for applicable law means the limitation may not apply in full in jurisdictions that restrict such exclusions for consumer contracts.
Interpretive note: The enforceability of consequential damages exclusions against consumers varies significantly by jurisdiction, particularly in EU/EEA and UK markets, and depends on the specific nature of the claim.
The updated terms remove the explicit guarantee that Coursera provides a 7-day free trial for subscriptions. The revised language states that 'certain subscriptions may come with a free trial period' without specifying a default duration or which subscriptions include trials. This creates operational uncertainty for users: trial availability and length are no longer stated in the main terms but are now delegated entirely to individual checkout pages. Users evaluating whether a subscription includes a trial must now visit the specific product page rather than relying on the standard terms.
View change record →Current version adds 'INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE OR ILLEGAL' content as specific examples of third-party conduct covered by liability exemption.
View full change record →Under this clause, Coursera's financial exposure for platform-related harms is limited to direct damages only, excluding consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising from service outages, data loss, unauthorized access, or third-party conduct. The agreement states this limitation applies to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
How other platforms handle this
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Kit shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting ...
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Pinterest shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, res...
You will remain responsible for any amounts you fail to pay in connection with your subscription, including collection costs, bank overdraft fees, collection agency fees, reasonable attorneys' fees, and arbitration or court costs.
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"TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, COURSERA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUES, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM (A) YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF OR INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICES; (B) ANY CONDUCT OR CONTENT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE SERVICES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF OTHER USERS OR THIRD PARTIES; (C) ANY CONTENT OBTAINED FROM THE SERVICES; OR (D) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS, USE OR ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR CONTENT.— Excerpt from Coursera's Coursera Terms of Use
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Limitation of liability clauses in consumer contracts may require evaluation under applicable consumer protection law. EU/EEA consumer contract directives may restrict the enforceability of liability exclusions for personal injury, death, or gross negligence. The FTC Act may be relevant if liability limitations are applied in a manner that constitutes an unfair practice. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The exclusion of data loss from recoverable damages is operationally significant for users who experience loss of course progress, certification records, or other platform-stored data. Institutional deployers should assess whether enterprise agreements provide different liability terms. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU/EEA consumer protection law limits the enforceability of consequential damages exclusions against individual consumers, particularly for digital services under the Digital Content Directive. UK consumer rights law similarly restricts certain liability exclusions. California's consumer protection statutes may also impose limits on liability exclusion clauses. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Enterprise agreements should specify whether the limitation of liability clause in the consumer Terms applies to institutional accounts or whether separate liability caps and carve-outs are negotiated at the B2B level. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should assess whether the liability limitation is enforceable in the jurisdictions where the institution's users are located, and whether the exclusion of data loss damages requires additional contractual protections in enterprise agreements.
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This provision limits the categories of damages users may recover from Coursera in the event of platform failures, data loss, unauthorized access, or third-party misconduct on the platform. The carve-out for applicable law means the limitation may not apply in full in jurisdictions that restrict such exclusions for consumer contracts.
Under this clause, Coursera's financial exposure for platform-related harms is limited to direct damages only, excluding consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising from service outages, data loss, unauthorized access, or third-party conduct. The agreement states this limitation applies to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
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