Last night, Yahoo sent out an email to their Search Marketing advertisers, notifying them that they have updated the terms and conditions. So I compared the current version to the archived version to see what significant changes have been made.
Here is a list of changes that I found, I may have missed some, but I think I got the major items.
(1) Removed "Overture" from the document. Yahoo bought Overture back in 2003. (2) Removed clause "use any Program in connection with any ultrahazardous activity, or any other activity for which its failure might result in serious property damage, serious bodily injury, or death, nor." (3) Removed a clause but moved a dedicated section to this API stuff: "In connection with a Program, if you have been granted API Access or you have been provided Analytics, you agree to be bound by the API Access & Analytics Program Terms, below." (4) Removed clause "provided, however, that you may display different content to different users so long as it is relevant to the Selected Ad Groups and ads), and" (5) Some changes to the localized legalize in 12. (6) Added "Upon termination of these Analytics Program Terms or the Program Terms of the Program for which you have been provided Analytics, (i) you must promptly remove or have removed the Analytics from your website(s) and all items under your possession, custody, and/or control, and (ii) Section 2(i), above, will survive." (7) Added "For dynamically priced campaigns, we may adjust the location of, and price for, your ads in an effort to meet your target goals (e.g., CPC, CPA, or CPL)." (8) Added "OPTIMIZATION. In the U.S. only, for those advertisers not bound by an Insertion Order, we may help you optimize your account(s). Accordingly, you expressly agree that we may also: (i) create ads, (ii) add and/or remove keywords, and/or (iii) optimize your account(s). We will notify you via email of such changes made to your account(s), and can also include a spreadsheet of such changes upon your written request. If you would like any of such changes reversed, please reply to such email within 14 days of the change(s), and we will make commercially reasonable efforts to reverse the change(s) you specifically identify. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you remain responsible for all changes made to your account(s), including all click charges incurred prior to any reversions being made. It is your responsibility to monitor your account(s) and to ensure that your account settings are consistent with your business objectives." (9) Added "Product Submit Program only: “Categories” and “Subcategories” mean the product categories you select and that we may map to your ads based on your ads themselves and/or the websites to which the ads link. We may re-categorize any incorrectly categorized ads (as determined by us) at any time." (10) Removed "In addition to any applicable service fees, you will pay for all clicks on your ads, provided that we may bill you a minimum monthly charge of $200 per Program. Product Submit Program & Travel Submit Program only: Ads will be categorized into the appropriate category either by you or by us, provided that we reserve the right at any time to categorize or re-categorize any uncategorized or incorrectly categorized ads (as determined by us in our discretion)." (11) Added "Travel Submit Program only: If you or the Feed Provider submit Information, ads, or any portion thereof that do not comply with our requirements (including a failure to update the applicable Information) or are otherwise unacceptable, we may continue to use existing ads and Information."
There were other changes, but these are the ones that caught my attention.
Note, not all of this is that shocking. We did cover about six-months ago one of these document changes. I wrote, Yahoo Can Legally Create or Change Your Search Ads & Bill You For It, yea - it is true.
Forum discussion at DigitalPoint Forums.
