Yelp prohibits anyone under the age of 13 from using its Service, and users must have the legal capacity to agree to the Terms.
This analysis describes what Yelp'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
The age restriction reflects Yelp's compliance posture under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which restricts data collection from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent.
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.
View full change record →If a user under 13 accesses Yelp, the Terms state they are not authorized, which has implications for any data collected from such users and for parents or guardians who should be aware of this restriction.
How other platforms handle this
To access and use the Services, you must be at least the age of majority in the state, province, or territory where you live or at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 13, you may not use the Services and you should not be visiting the Sites or using the Services.
Our Services are not directed to children under 13. If you learn that anyone younger than 13 has unlawfully provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@medium.com.
Our services are restricted to users who are 18 years of age or older. We do not permit users under the age of 18 on our platform and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you suspect that a user is under the age of 18, please use the reporting mechanism available...
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"To access or use the Service, you must have the requisite power and authority to enter into these Terms. Our Service is not directed to children, and any access or use of the Service by anyone under the age of 13 is not allowed.— Excerpt from Yelp's Yelp Terms of Service
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The prohibition on users under 13 directly engages COPPA, enforced by the FTC, which requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. The Terms assert prohibition but do not describe age verification mechanisms, which is a common gap that the FTC has examined in enforcement actions against platforms. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. Asserting a 13+ age requirement without describing technical enforcement measures may be insufficient under COPPA if the platform does not take affirmative steps to prevent underage access. FTC enforcement in this area has resulted in significant penalties against platforms that failed to adequately implement age restrictions. JURISDICTION FLAGS: COPPA applies to US-based operations and to foreign operators targeting US children. EEA and UK age requirements under GDPR and UK GDPR may set higher thresholds (up to 16 in some member states) for lawful processing of children's data, creating additional compliance obligations for Yelp Ireland Ltd. in those markets. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Vendors and partners who integrate Yelp content or user data should be notified of the age restriction and should not expose Yelp services to audiences that include users under 13 without appropriate safeguards. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should review whether Yelp's technical implementation includes age-gating or verification mechanisms sufficient to satisfy COPPA requirements beyond the contractual assertion in the Terms. EEA operations should be evaluated for compliance with country-specific age of consent thresholds under GDPR Article 8.
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The age restriction reflects Yelp's compliance posture under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which restricts data collection from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent.
If a user under 13 accesses Yelp, the Terms state they are not authorized, which has implications for any data collected from such users and for parents or guardians who should be aware of this restriction.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 8 platforms. See the full comparison.
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