These are the rules you agree to when you use GitHub, the popular platform for storing and sharing code. They cover what you can and can't do on the platform, who owns your content, and what happens if there's a disagreement between you and GitHub. The most important things to know are that GitHub can suspend or cancel your account, limits how much you can sue them for, and retains a license to use your publicly posted content.
Technical Summary
The GitHub Terms of Service governs the contractual relationship between GitHub, Inc. (a Microsoft subsidiary) and individual users of the GitHub platform, covering account creation and responsibilities, acceptable use, content ownership and licensing, payment terms, service modifications, and dispute resolution. Key obligations include users maintaining accurate account information, compliance with GitHub's Acceptable Use Policies, and granting GitHub a limited license to display and distribute user-submitted content. Notable provisions include GitHub's right to terminate or suspend accounts, a limitation of liability capping damages at 12 months of fees paid, a class action waiver for California users, and GitHub's reservation of rights to modify the service or terms with 30-day notice. The agreement is governed by California law and designates the Northern District of California as the exclusive venue for disputes.
Institutional Analysis
This agreement engages GDPR and CCPA privacy frameworks through its data handling and content licensing provisions, and compliance teams should note the liability cap (12 months of fees) which may be…
This agreement engages GDPR and CCPA privacy frameworks through its data handling and content licensing provisions, and compliance teams should note the liability cap (12 months of fees) which may be insufficient for enterprise risk exposure. The class action waiver and California-exclusive venue c…
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GitHub limits the amount you can recover from them in a lawsuit to the total fees you paid in the 12 months before the incident — or $100 if you used the free service.
GitHub can suspend or permanently terminate your account at any time, including immediately and without advance notice, if they believe you have violated the terms.
When you post content publicly on GitHub, you give GitHub a license to store, display, and distribute that content — including to other users and through GitHub's services.
GitHub can change these terms at any time and will generally give 30 days notice for material changes, but continued use of the service after changes take effect means you accept the new terms.
Paid GitHub plans are billed in advance on a monthly or annual basis, and fees are non-refundable except where required by law — if you upgrade or downgrade, changes may take effect at your next billing cycle.
All disputes with GitHub are governed by California law and must be brought in the courts of the Northern District of California — regardless of where in the world you are located.
You are responsible for keeping your account password secure and for all activity that occurs under your account, even if someone else accesses it without your permission.
GitHub will respond to valid DMCA copyright takedown notices by removing or disabling access to infringing content, and repeat infringers may have their accounts terminated.
GitHub provides its services 'as is' and 'as available' with no guarantees about uptime, reliability, or fitness for a particular purpose — you use the service at your own risk.
GitHub requires users to be at least 13 years old, and users between 13 and the age of majority in their jurisdiction must have parental or guardian consent to use the service.