Whatnot · Whatnot Terms of Service · View original document ↗

Class Action and Jury Trial Waiver

High severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Uncommon · 13 of 325 platforms
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Recent governance activity Whatnot recorded 2 documented changes in the last 30 days.
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Document Record

What it is

You cannot join a class action lawsuit against Whatnot and cannot request a jury trial; any claim you bring must be pursued individually through arbitration.

This analysis describes what Whatnot'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

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

Class action lawsuits are often the only economically viable way for individuals to pursue small-value claims against large companies; this waiver removes that option entirely.

Interpretive note: Enforceability may vary by jurisdiction; California courts may carve out public injunction claims from this waiver under McGill v. Citibank.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

If Whatnot's practices affect many users in the same way, such as improper fees or account errors, each person must pursue their claim individually rather than collectively, making it economically impractical to challenge low-dollar harms.

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.
  • Opt Out of Arbitration
    Within 30 days
    To preserve your right to participate in class actions, opt out of the arbitration agreement (which includes the class action waiver) by emailing legal@whatnot.com within 30 days of accepting the Terms.

How other platforms handle this

Unity High

YOU AND UNITY AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE, CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE BREACH, TERMINATION, ENFORCEMENT, INTERPRETATION OR VALIDITY THEREOF OR THE USE OF THE SERVICES (COLLECTIVELY, "DISPUTES") WILL BE SETTLED BY BINDING ARBITRATION, EXCEPT THAT EACH PARTY RETAIN...

OpenAI High

CLASS ACTION WAIVER. You and OpenAI agree that any claims must be brought in your respective individual capacities, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding. Unless we agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims....

Lime High

YOU AND LIME AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

See all platforms with this clause type →

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
CLASS ACTION WAIVER. YOU AND WHATNOT AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. Further, unless both you and Whatnot agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims, and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. JURY TRIAL WAIVER. YOU AND WHATNOT HEREBY WAIVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY RIGHTS TO SUE IN COURT AND HAVE A TRIAL IN FRONT OF A JUDGE OR A JURY.

— Excerpt from Whatnot's Whatnot Terms of Service

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Class action waivers in consumer contracts interact with the FTC Act and have been subject to judicial challenge under state unconscionability doctrines. California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act has historically been examined in the context of whether class action waivers defeat the purpose of consumer protection statutes. Federal courts have generally enforced such waivers under the Federal Arbitration Act following AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion, but state-specific carve-outs and public injunction rights (as recognized in McGill v. Citibank in California) may limit the waiver's reach. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. The waiver reduces the company's exposure to aggregate liability and reputational risk from class litigation, but creates residual risk that California courts may carve out public injunction claims from the waiver's scope. The provision's explicit language extending to 'representative proceedings' also implicates PAGA claims for California-based workers or contractors, which courts have treated differently from consumer class actions. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: California residents may retain the right to seek public injunctive relief in arbitration notwithstanding this waiver under McGill v. Citibank. EU and UK users are generally protected from class action waivers by local consumer law. Illinois and other states with strong consumer protection frameworks may apply scrutiny to this provision. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Sellers operating as businesses on the platform should assess whether this waiver applies to B2B disputes as well as consumer disputes, as the enforceability standard differs between the two contexts. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should monitor evolving case law on the enforceability of class action waivers combined with PAGA waivers in California, and should assess whether the public injunction carve-out requires a separate procedural accommodation in the arbitration clause.

Full compliance analysis

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

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has authority over consumer contract terms that may constitute unfair or deceptive practices, including waivers that prevent consumers from pursuing collective relief.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State attorneys general can challenge class action waivers under state consumer protection statutes where such waivers are deemed to undermine public policy.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

FAA
United States Federal

Provision details

Document information
Document
Whatnot Terms of Service
Entity
Whatnot
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 11, 2026
Last verified
May 11, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-010145
Document ID
CA-D-00731
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
b004999cb5790fcea852f2c7a74f97dc701c834bd53dc7719ae5d0ff36889183
Analysis generated
May 11, 2026 02:44 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Whatnot
Document: Whatnot Terms of Service
Record ID: CA-P-010145
Captured: 2026-05-11 02:44:29 UTC
SHA-256: b004999cb5790fce…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/whatnot/whatnot-terms-of-service/class-action-and-jury-trial-waiver/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Whatnot's Class Action and Jury Trial Waiver clause do?

Class action lawsuits are often the only economically viable way for individuals to pursue small-value claims against large companies; this waiver removes that option entirely.

How does this clause affect you?

If Whatnot's practices affect many users in the same way, such as improper fees or account errors, each person must pursue their claim individually rather than collectively, making it economically impractical to challenge low-dollar harms.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 13 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Whatnot?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Whatnot.