Craigslist · Craigslist Terms of Use

User Indemnification Obligation

High severity
Share 𝕏 Share in Share 🔒 PDF

What it is

If a third party sues Craigslist because of something you did on the platform, you are responsible for paying Craigslist's legal costs and any resulting liability — including costs arising from actions by your employees or associates.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Individual users and businesses could be held personally responsible for Craigslist's legal fees and losses if a third party makes a claim related to your use of the platform — even if you were not directly at fault.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle User Indemnification Obligation and similar clauses.

Compare across platforms →
Need full compliance memos? See Professional →

Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

This indemnification clause extends your financial responsibility beyond your own actions to anyone acting on your behalf, creating significant exposure for businesses whose employees or agents misuse Craigslist.

View original clause language
You agree to (1) submit to the personal jurisdiction of courts in San Francisco, CA; (2) indemnify and hold CL Entities harmless from any Claims, losses, liability, or expenses (including attorneys' fees) that arise from a third party and relate to your use of CL; and (3) be liable and responsible for any Claims we may have against your officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, or any other party, directly or indirectly, paid, directed or controlled by you, or acting for your benefit.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Indemnification clauses in consumer contracts are subject to unconscionability review under California Civil Code § 1670.5 and Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 208. The extension of indemnity obligations to officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates is a broad corporate veil-piercing mechanism that is atypical in standard consumer TOU agreements. FTC Act Section 5 may be implicated if this clause is not adequately disclosed to consumers prior to use. (2)

🔒

Compliance intelligence locked

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

Watcher $9.99/mo Professional $149/mo

Watcher: regulatory citations. Professional: full compliance memo.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    FTC has authority over unfair contract terms in consumer agreements, including broad indemnification clauses that may constitute unfair practices if inadequately disclosed.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State Attorneys General can challenge unconscionable or unfair indemnification provisions in consumer adhesion contracts under state consumer protection laws.
    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-003023
Document ID
CA-D-00287
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
80f85263c430b95f91b78125e0dbb2505055453e668ec19eefe4b53b64a4af6b
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Craigslist | Document: Craigslist Terms of Use | Record: CA-P-003023
Captured: 2026-04-18 11:49:41 UTC | SHA-256: 80f85263c430b95f…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/craigslist/craigslist-terms-of-use/user-indemnification-obligation/
Accessed: May 2, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other provisions in this document