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This page describes what the document states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability may vary by jurisdiction. Methodology
Yelp's Terms of Service establish the legal agreement governing use of Yelp's website, mobile application, and business tools. The agreement requires that disputes between users and Yelp be resolved through binding individual arbitration rather than court litigation, and includes a waiver of class action rights. The agreement grants Yelp a perpetual, royalty-free license to user-generated content including reviews, photos, and check-ins, and authorizes Yelp to remove content or suspend accounts without prior notice.
This document governs user access to and use of Yelp's consumer and business platforms, including websites, mobile applications, events, and communications, forming a legally binding contract with either Yelp Inc. (for US users) or Yelp Ireland Ltd. (for EEA, UK, and Switzerland residents). The agreement states that users grant Yelp a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, sublicensable worldwide license to use, copy, modify, and display user-submitted content, and the terms authorize Yelp to remove content, suspend or terminate accounts at its discretion, and to send commercial communications to users who have provided contact information. The dispute resolution provisions require binding individual arbitration for most claims, include a class action and representative proceeding waiver, and establish a 30-day opt-out window post-account creation, which is broadly consistent with US platform practice but may face enforceability constraints in EEA and UK jurisdictions under applicable consumer protection frameworks; the terms also assert a broad content license that survives account termination. The agreement engages GDPR and UK GDPR for EEA and UK users respectively, the California Consumer Privacy Act for California residents, COPPA with respect to the explicit prohibition on use by those under 13, and FTC Act consumer protection standards; the dual-entity structure (Yelp Inc. versus Yelp Ireland Ltd.) reflects an attempt to allocate regulatory exposure across jurisdictions. Compliance teams should note that the arbitration clause and class action waiver may be unenforceable for EEA and UK users under local mandatory consumer law, and that the perpetual content license assertion warrants evaluation against GDPR data subject rights including erasure.
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3 versions captured · Last updated: June 2026
This separates the class action waiver into its own distinct provision with prominent notice formatting, strengthening Yelp's legal position by emphasizing the waiver of class and representative actions.
New provision explicitly stating the service is not directed to children under 13, establishing compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and clarifying age-related eligibility requirements.
New explicit provision detailing the process for term modifications and notification requirements, expanding upon what was previously implicit in the unilateral modification right.
New provision creating separate contracting entities for EEA/UK/Switzerland users versus others, establishing regional jurisdictional structure and potentially facilitating GDPR compliance through the Irish entity.
This general provision was removed but its substance was replaced by more detailed 'Changes to Terms with Continued Use as Acceptance' provision that provides more specific modification procedures.
Complete removal of user indemnification clause suggests Yelp may have modified its risk allocation strategy or consolidated this obligation elsewhere in updated terms.
Removal of this provision may indicate it was integrated into the new 'Dual-Entity Jurisdictional Structure' provision or relocated, as governing law becomes entity-dependent under the new structure.
Removal suggests business-specific terms may have been moved to separate agreements or incorporated directly into the main terms rather than referenced separately.
Removal of explicit content moderation provision may indicate these rights were consolidated or absorbed into other provisions, or addressed in separate community guidelines.
Previous version had no excerpt content; current version now includes explicit disclosure language referencing Section 13 and defining the scope of mandatory individual arbitration.
Renamed to 'Perpetual Irrevocable Content License' in current version with newly added specific examples of content types covered (ratings, reviews, photos, videos, compliments, check-ins, friending and following activity, direct messages).
Previous version excerpt was empty; current version now includes notification procedures for material changes to Terms, which addresses account governance but does not directly address suspension and termination.
Severity downgraded from 'high' to 'medium' and the excerpt changed from empty to a generic terms governance statement that does not actually describe liability limitations.
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