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By posting content on Medium, users grant Medium a royalty-free, worldwide, sublicensable license to reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, and distribute that content, including the user's name, username, and likeness, across all current and future media formats within the Services.
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
This provision establishes a broad content license that includes sublicensing rights and covers derivative works and all future media formats, scoped to Medium's Services. The agreement states the license is limited to use on the Services and does not grant rights outside that scope.
Interpretive note: The scope of 'derivative works' and 'all media formats and distribution methods now known or later developed' is not exhaustively defined and may require legal interpretation as technology and regulatory frameworks evolve.
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 →This clause authorizes Medium to reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, distribute, and create derivative works from any content a user posts, including using the user's name, username, or likeness, across all current and future media formats within the Services, without additional compensation. Users retain ownership of their content under this provision.
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"Unless otherwise agreed in writing, by submitting, posting, or displaying content on or through the Services, you grant Medium a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully paid, and sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform and display your content and any name, username or likeness provided in connection with your content in all media formats and distribution methods now known or later developed on the Services.Excerpt from Medium's Terms of Service
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The content license provision, particularly its inclusion of name, username, and likeness, may engage state right-of-publicity statutes including California Civil Code Section 3344, which governs commercial use of a person's likeness. The phrase 'all media formats and distribution methods now known or later developed' introduces temporal breadth that may require evaluation under evolving AI training and synthetic media regulatory frameworks. 2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The sublicensable license permits Medium to grant third parties rights to user content within the Services context, and the derivative works right authorizes creation of new works based on user submissions. The agreement provides illustrative examples (snippets, author lists, quotes) but does not exhaustively define 'derivative works' or 'later developed' distribution methods. 3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU users may retain moral rights over their content under national copyright laws that are not waivable by contract in certain member states. The right-of-publicity dimension of the name and likeness component creates heightened exposure in California, New York, and Illinois. The scope of 'later developed' media formats may require evaluation as generative AI and synthetic media regulatory frameworks develop. 4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Publishers, journalists, and institutional content contributors should assess whether this license conflicts with their own publication agreements, employment contracts, or work-for-hire arrangements. The sublicensable nature of the license means third parties within the Medium Services ecosystem may receive rights to content without direct contractual relationship with the original contributor. 5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams advising institutional users or professional contributors should assess whether the derivative works and sublicensing provisions are compatible with existing IP ownership structures. The agreement's limitation of the license to 'our Services only' provides a defined scope but 'Services' is not narrowly defined in the document, warranting clarification for compliance purposes.
This provision establishes a broad content license that includes sublicensing rights and covers derivative works and all future media formats, scoped to Medium's Services. The agreement states the license is limited to use on the Services and does not grant rights outside that scope.
This clause authorizes Medium to reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, distribute, and create derivative works from any content a user posts, including using the user's name, username, or likeness, across all current and future media formats within the Services, without additional compensation. Users retain ownership of their content under this provision.
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