What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'WEB_FORM', 'recipient': 'https://www.coursera.org/about/privacy', 'difficulty': 'MODERATE', 'action_type': 'DELETE_DATA', 'instructions': "Submit a data deletion request through Coursera's privacy portal. California residents can exercise CCPA deletion rights; EU users can invoke GDPR Art. 17 right to erasure. Note that the perpetual content license may mean some submitted content is retained even after account deletion.", 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': 'The FTC has authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act if the broad content license is not clearly and conspicuously disclosed to consumers at the point of content submission.', 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}, {'agency': 'State_AG', 'reason': "California AG enforces CCPA data deletion rights that may conflict with Coursera's perpetual content license, and can investigate whether the license scope was adequately disclosed.", 'complaint_url': 'https://www.naag.org/find-my-ag/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Perpetual User Content License clause as high severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Do other platforms have similar clauses?

Yes. ConductAtlas has identified similar Perpetual User Content License clauses across approximately 1 other tracked platforms. You can compare how platforms differ on this clause type in the cross-platform comparison view.

Perpetual User Content License — Coursera

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What it is

When you post anything on Coursera — including assignments, forum posts, or reviews — you give Coursera a permanent, worldwide, free license to use, copy, modify, and share that content with other companies.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Your assignments, forum posts, and other submitted content may be used by Coursera for promotional, commercial, or product improvement purposes — including being shared with third-party organizations — without additional compensation or notice to you.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Delete Your Data

Submit a data deletion request through Coursera's privacy portal. California residents can exercise CCPA deletion rights; EU users can invoke GDPR Art. 17 right to erasure. Note that the perpetual content license may mean some submitted content is retained even after account deletion.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Perpetual User Content License and similar clauses.

Compare across platforms →

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

This license is extremely broad and survives your use of the platform, meaning your academic work or personal contributions can be used by Coursera and its partners indefinitely, even after you delete your account.

View original clause language

By submitting Content through the Services, you grant Coursera a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display, and distribute your Content in any and all media or distribution methods (existing now or later developed). You agree that this license includes the right for Coursera to provide, promote, and improve the Services and to make Content submitted to or through the Services available to other companies, organizations or individuals for the syndication, broadcast, distribution, promotion or publication of such Content on other media and services.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implicates GDPR Art. 6 (lawful basis for processing), Art. 17 (right to erasure), and Art. 5(1)(e) (storage limitation) for EU users, as a perpetual license may conflict with the right to erasure. The CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code §1798.105) creates a right to deletion for California residents that may be inconsistent with Coursera's retained license rights. FERPA (20 U.S.C. § 1232g) may apply if submitted content constitutes an education record. The FTC Act Section 5 applies if the scope of the license is not clearly disclosed at point of submission. 2)

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Applicable agencies

FTC

The FTC has authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act if the broad content license is not clearly and conspicuously disclosed to consumers at the point of content submission.
File a complaint →
State AG

California AG enforces CCPA data deletion rights that may conflict with Coursera's perpetual content license, and can investigate whether the license scope was adequately disclosed.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Coursera Terms of Use

Entity

Coursera

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

April 18, 2026

Last verified

April 18, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-002847

Document ID

CA-D-00157

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://www.coursera.org/about/terms

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

d67cd5c44e1912191635fd8b7e2198b45b8ec6ab8725f8a00753d9335a136c85

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Coursera | Document: Coursera Terms of Use | Record: CA-P-002847
Captured: 2026-04-18 10:12:56 UTC | SHA-256: d67cd5c44e191219…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/coursera/coursera-terms-of-use/perpetual-user-content-license/
Accessed: May 2, 2026

Classification

Severity

High

Perpetual User Content License