When you publish anything on Medium, you give Medium the legal right to use, copy, share, sell, translate, and create new works based on your content worldwide, without paying you.
This analysis describes what Medium'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 provision establishes Medium's operational rights to deploy user-generated content across its service delivery infrastructure, including its network of publications. The transferability and sublicensing components enable Medium to extend these usage rights to affiliated entities and partners involved in service provision and content distribution.
The updated terms establish that Medium may stop providing the Services or any of its features within its sole discretion. The prior language focused on subscription account sign-up mechanics; the new provision creates an explicit contractual reservation allowing Medium to discontinue platform features or the entire service without conditions tied to a specific event or timeline. The terms do not specify advance notice requirements, transition periods, or user remedies if the service is discontinued.
View change record →The updated terms expand a data collection warranty to apply to all personal information users provide to Medium, not limited to newsletter editor submissions. Users now represent and warrant that any personal information they submit has been lawfully collected and that all required notices and consents were obtained before collection. This means the warranty applies whether data is provided through newsletters, account profiles, submissions, or other Medium features. If a user provides personal information collected without proper notice or consent, they may be in breach of this representation.
View change record →The license scope expanded to include explicit rights to modify content, use associated name/username/likeness, cover all media formats, and explicitly state no compensation is owed, while removing the 'in connection with Medium's Services' limitation.
View full change record →Every piece of content you publish on Medium — articles, stories, responses — is subject to a sweeping royalty-free worldwide license that allows Medium and its sublicensees to reproduce, distribute, and create derivative works from your writing without additional compensation or approval.
How other platforms handle this
We hereby grant you a limited, revocable, non-transferable, non-sublicensable license under the rights licensable by us to use the services and use Content from our services solely for your personal use...
Except for the license you grant below, you retain all rights in and to your Marketing Content, as between you and ActiveCampaign.
Tinder grants you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable, non-exclusive, revocable, and non-sublicensable license to access and use our Services for purposes as intended by Tinder and permitted by these Terms and applicable laws.
"By posting content to Medium, you give us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, transferable license to use the content, with the right to sublicense, reproduce, distribute, display, publish, perform, make, have made, sell, translate, and create derivative works of your content in connection with Medium's Services, including our owned and operated publications.Excerpt from Medium's Terms of Service
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implicates U.S.
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The provision establishes Medium's operational rights to deploy user-generated content across its service delivery infrastructure, including its network of publications. The transferability and sublicensing components enable Medium to extend these usage rights to affiliated entities and partners involved in service provision and content distribution.
Every piece of content you publish on Medium — articles, stories, responses — is subject to a sweeping royalty-free worldwide license that allows Medium and its sublicensees to reproduce, distribute, and create derivative works from your writing without additional compensation or approval.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 256 platforms. See the full comparison.
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