[mgkimsal]

Maybe I'm too literal, or just... can't get past "terms of service", but...

Yelp TOS: https://www.yelp.com/developers/api_terms

"You agree that you will not, and will not assist or enable others to: cache, record, pre-fetch, or otherwise store any portion of the Yelp Content, or attempt or provide a means to execute any "bulk download" operations, other than storing Yelp business IDs which you may use solely for back-end matching purposes;"

It looks like you're storing Yelp Content. Or maybe reviews aren't "Yelp Content" specifically? Or did you get a written waiver for this service?

Or does no one ever give a toss about these TOS, and just complain on twitter when they get API access revoked?

[mgkimsal]

... wanted to clarify further:

"The API is made available by Yelp Inc. ("Yelp") to enable you to access valuable local information and present Yelp Deals or Yelp Certificates on your website or mobile properties, including mobile apps ("Your Site") that encourages the visitors to Your Site (the "Users") to purchase certain Yelp Deals or Yelp Certificates (collectively "Yelp Voucher(s)") by directing them to Yelp's website or mobile properties, including mobile apps ("Yelp site")."

The entire purpose of the Yelp API is explicitly to get you to direct people to their site and/or to sell Yelp Deals.

Do people really not read these TOS before launching services, or do they think they can skate around the edges until they're big enough to get noticed/acquired before the API police cut off access?

[AznHisoka]

who says they even use their API? They could just crawl it. Besides I'm willing to bet Yelp could care less.

[willu]

They almost certainly do not use the API given its limitations, and unfortunately the Yelp folks do have a history of suing crawlers:

https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/califo...

[jff]

> Besides I'm willing to bet Yelp could care less.

Would you bet your own startup on it? I wouldn't.

[AznHisoka]

If OP believes in the idea, has domain expertise in it, and has some validation, why not pursue it? Everything comes with risk.

The alternative is waiting years, potentially NEVER to find a perfect, 100% risk-less (which doesn't exist, btw) startup idea that will help him become very rich.

[secos]

This is exactly why this product doesn't exist yet - I looked at building this exact app 18 months ago.

Yelp expressly forbids this, and without Yelp, you don't have a product. That said, I think it's stupid that Yelp disallows this and hope that OP succeeds.

[mgkimsal]

I've had numerous discussions with folks about projects that all involve LinkedIn data. People always seem to assume they're the first people to have idea X. After digging in about 18 months ago, I saw how limiting the LinkedIn API was, and that basically none of the functionality people wanted to do was possible. technically possible? yes, for a while. Legally? It's outside their terms of use, and you'd either get shut down or sued.

[willu]

I know of at least one other Chicago startup (no affiliation) that's been doing this exact thing for a year or two. I'll refrain from name dropping them in OP's announcement thread, but I did notice that any mentions of Yelp fell off their site a while back which leads me to believe Yelp may have come knocking.