Yelp: Food, Delivery & Reviews

"We also collect and store information that your device may provide to us in connection with your use of the Service, such as your browser type, type of device, browser language, IP address, WiFi information such as SSID, mobile carrier, phone number, unique device identifier, advertising identifier, location (including geolocation, beacon based location, and GPS location), and requested and referring URLs and mobile applications."

Yelp collects WiFi SSIDs, unique device identifiers, mobile carrier info, advertising IDs, and beacon-based location data — well beyond what a business review platform requires for core functionality.

"We may also collect and store your location whenever our mobile applications are running, including when running in the background, if you enable our mobile apps to access such information. If you have allowed Yelp to access your precise geolocation through your device settings, we may use that information to provide our Services, personalize your experience, make more relevant recommendations, and for advertising or ad attribution, including to recognize your visits to a business."

Yelp collects precise GPS, beacon, and WiFi-based location data continuously — even when the app is running in the background — and uses it for advertising and tracking visits to physical businesses.

"We may modify this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by email and/or by posting a notice on the Service prior to or on the effective date of the changes. By continuing to access or use the Service after those changes become effective, you acknowledge the revised Privacy Policy."

Yelp can modify its privacy policy at any time, and simply continuing to use the service constitutes acceptance of the new terms, with no requirement for affirmative consent.

"We may also share information from or about you (such as your city, and if you provide it, your age and gender), your device type, and your use of the Service (such as which businesses you bookmark or call, or if you visit a business's URL) with businesses on Yelp. We may share your advertising identifiers (e.g., IDFA or GAID), a cryptographic hash of your email address, phone number or IP address with third-party service providers that help us facilitate Yelp's advertising programs."

Yelp shares demographic information, behavioral data, and hashed personal identifiers with businesses and advertising partners, giving third parties detailed insight into user activity and identity.

"When you close your account, we remove certain public posts from view and/or dissociate them from your account profile, but may retain information about you for the purposes authorized under this Privacy Policy and consistent with our data retention policy, unless prohibited by law. Yelp retains information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as otherwise permitted or required by law."

Yelp retains user data after account closure with no specific deletion timeline, using vague language like 'reasonably necessary' that allows indefinite retention.

"You may access the Service through different devices (e.g., your mobile phone or computer) and different platforms (e.g., through the Yelp website or mobile apps). The information that we collect and store through those different devices and platforms may be cross-referenced and combined, and your contributions will typically be similarly visible and accessible through all Yelp platforms."

Yelp cross-references and combines user data across all devices and platforms, building a unified profile that links activity from phones, computers, websites, and mobile apps.

"Information on how to close your account is available here. When you close your account, we remove certain public posts from view and/or dissociate them from your account profile, but may retain information about you for the purposes authorized under this Privacy Policy. Please note that businesses cannot remove their business pages, ratings, or reviews by closing their accounts."

Account closure doesn't guarantee data deletion — Yelp only removes 'certain' public posts and retains other information indefinitely, and business owners cannot remove their pages at all.