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Snowflake designates a separate legal page with distinct terms for U.S. Government entities, defined as federal agencies and state government agencies, meaning standard commercial terms do not govern these entities' use of Snowflake services.
This analysis describes what Snowflake'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 establishes that U.S. Government customers, including federal and state agencies, are subject to a separate and distinct set of terms rather than the standard commercial Terms of Service. Organizations identifying as U.S. Government entities must obtain and review the Government-specific terms, as material differences in data processing, security, liability, and acceptable use obligations may exist.
The updated Privacy Notice no longer includes explicit language stating that users 'may unsubscribe through unsubscribe links at any time.' This removal means the document no longer contains that specific commitment to unsubscribe availability. The updated terms still reference a Privacy Notice governing data processing and retain cookie-related disclosures, but the removal of the unsubscribe guarantee eliminates a documented mechanism users may have relied on. You can review the full Privacy Notice to understand current communication and preference management options.
View change record →Federal and state government agencies using Snowflake are directed to a separate legal framework. The standard commercial Terms of Service, including associated addenda, do not apply to these entities unless the Government-specific terms incorporate them by reference.
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"If you are a U.S. Government entity, as defined below, the applicable Terms of Service, Evaluation Terms of Service and other applicable terms are located at the Snowflake Legal for Government page. "U.S. Government" means an agency of the federal government of the United States of America, or any government of any state thereunder.Excerpt from Snowflake's Privacy Notice
1. REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: U.S. Government entity terms typically engage the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, FedRAMP authorization requirements, and applicable federal data security standards including NIST SP 800-53. The definition of 'U.S. Government' as including state government agencies is notable, as state procurement regulations vary significantly and may impose additional requirements. 2. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium for government agency customers. The index page does not disclose the content of the Government-specific terms. Government procurement officers and agency legal teams must obtain and review the Government legal page to assess whether Snowflake's terms satisfy applicable federal or state procurement requirements, data localization obligations, or security authorization requirements. 3. JURISDICTION FLAGS: Federal agencies subject to FedRAMP requirements should confirm Snowflake's authorization status and whether the Government terms reflect applicable FedRAMP control requirements. State government agencies should assess whether the Government terms satisfy state-specific procurement and data security mandates. 4. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Procurement teams at government agencies should not rely on the standard commercial DPA, Security Addendum, or other commercial addenda unless the Government terms expressly incorporate them. A separate U.S. Government Amendment to the Snowflake Provider and Consumer Terms is also listed, indicating additional government-specific modifications for Marketplace use. 5. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Government agency procurement teams should obtain the full Snowflake Legal for Government document set and assess compliance with applicable federal or state procurement law. The Government terms should be reviewed in conjunction with any existing agency authority to operate or authorization documentation for cloud service providers.
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This provision establishes that U.S. Government customers, including federal and state agencies, are subject to a separate and distinct set of terms rather than the standard commercial Terms of Service. Organizations identifying as U.S. Government entities must obtain and review the Government-specific terms, as material differences in data processing, security, liability, and acceptable use obligations may exist.
Federal and state government agencies using Snowflake are directed to a separate legal framework. The standard commercial Terms of Service, including associated addenda, do not apply to these entities unless the Government-specific terms incorporate them by reference.
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