Meta · Meta Terms of Service

Broad Content License

High severity
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What it is

You grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, and worldwide license to host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, publicly perform or display, translate, and create derivative works of your content (consistent with your privacy and application settings). This means, for example, that if you share a photo on Facebook, you give us permission to store, copy, and share it with others.

Why it matters

This license is extremely broad and survives in certain circumstances even after you delete content, meaning Meta can continue using your posts commercially if others have already reshared them.

Consumer impact

Meta's Terms of Service grant the company an extremely broad license to use everything you post — photos, videos, text — for commercial purposes including advertising, and this license persists even if you delete content that others have already reshared. Meta retains the right to suspend or remove your account, restrict content visibility, and modify these terms with as little as 30 days' notice, meaning the rules governing your account can change materially over time. You can review and adjust your advertising data preferences by navigating to Facebook Settings > Ads, and EU/UK users can exercise additional rights including data access, deletion, and objection to processing via the Facebook Privacy Center.

What you can do

āš ļø 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
    To request deletion of your content and account data, go to Facebook Settings > Your Facebook Information > Deactivation and Deletion, select 'Delete Account', and follow the prompts. Note that content already reshared by others may not be fully removed.
  • Export Your Data
    Go to Facebook Settings > Your Facebook Information > Download Your Information to export a copy of all content you have posted before requesting deletion.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has enforcement authority over Meta's content and data use disclosures under FTC Act Section 5, and Meta operates under a 2019 FTC consent order directly addressing disclosure adequacy for data and content use practices.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State Attorneys General in California and Illinois have enforcement authority over content licensing practices that may conflict with CCPA deletion rights and Illinois BIPA biometric data protections.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Meta Terms of Service
Entity
Meta
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 6, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-001928
Document ID
CA-D-00020
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
8a855e4c147f2c90abe6867d9f920a94ad0e0ebee43fb73d9f0d62acffd1e90c
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Meta | Document: Meta Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-001928
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:29:13 UTC | SHA-256: 8a855e4c147f2c90…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/meta/meta-terms-of-service/broad-content-license/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

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