What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'WEB_FORM', 'recipient': 'https://www.craigslist.org/about/help/', 'difficulty': 'MODERATE', 'action_type': 'CLOSE_ACCOUNT', 'instructions': "If your account has been moderated or terminated and you wish to close it formally, visit Craigslist's help center at craigslist.org/about/help/ to access account management options. Note that the TOU does not guarantee a formal appeal process for moderation decisions.", 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': "FTC has authority over unfair or deceptive trade practices, which could be implicated if Craigslist's content moderation practices are applied in discriminatory or commercially deceptive ways.", 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Broad Content Moderation Discretion clause as medium severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Broad Content Moderation Discretion — Craigslist

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What it is

Craigslist can delete, hide, move, or block your posts and account at any time for any reason, and they are not legally responsible for any decisions they make — or fail to make — about moderation.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Craigslist can terminate your account, delete your posts, or block your access without notice and without any liability to you — and there is no formal appeals process guaranteed in this TOU.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Close Your Account

If your account has been moderated or terminated and you wish to close it formally, visit Craigslist's help center at craigslist.org/about/help/ to access account management options. Note that the TOU does not guarantee a formal appeal process for moderation decisions.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Broad Content Moderation Discretion and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

Users have no contractual right to appeal moderation decisions, no guarantee their content will remain visible, and no recourse against Craigslist for moderation choices — including removal of legitimately posted content.

View original clause language

You agree we may moderate CL access/use in our sole discretion, e.g., by blocking, filtering, re-categorizing, re-ranking, deleting, delaying, holding, omitting, verifying, or terminating your access/license/account. You agree (1) not to bypass said moderation, (2) we are not liable for moderating or not moderating, and (3) nothing we say or do waives our right to moderate, or not.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Content moderation immunity is provided under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (47 U.S.C. § 230), which grants broad protection to platforms for third-party content moderation decisions. This provision operationalizes that immunity contractually. For EU users, the Digital Services Act (DSA, Regulation (EU) 2022/2065) imposes transparency and appeals requirements for content moderation that may supersede this contractual disclaimer. (2)

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Applicable agencies

FTC

FTC has authority over unfair or deceptive trade practices, which could be implicated if Craigslist's content moderation practices are applied in discriminatory or commercially deceptive ways.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Craigslist Terms of Use

Entity

Craigslist

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

April 18, 2026

Last verified

April 18, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-003022

Document ID

CA-D-00287

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://www.craigslist.org/about/terms.of.use

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

80f85263c430b95f91b78125e0dbb2505055453e668ec19eefe4b53b64a4af6b

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Craigslist | Document: Craigslist Terms of Use | Record: CA-P-003022
Captured: 2026-04-18 11:49:41 UTC | SHA-256: 80f85263c430b95f…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/craigslist/craigslist-terms-of-use/broad-content-moderation-discretion/
Accessed: May 2, 2026

Classification

Severity

Medium

Broad Content Moderation Discretion