User Content License Grant

What it is

When you post anything on Public.com, such as comments, images, or other content, you give Public a broad license to use, copy, distribute, and modify that content for its business operations.

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

This license is broad and covers sublicensing to affiliated companies, meaning content you share on the platform could be used by related entities for purposes beyond what you originally intended.

Clause Stability Stable

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Any content users post on Public.com, including investment commentary, profile information, or community posts, can be used, reproduced, and distributed by Public and its affiliates for business purposes under the license granted by these terms.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Broad content license provisions may intersect with privacy regulations including CCPA (for California residents' personal information embedded in user content) and GDPR (for any EU users), which impose restrictions on how personal data contained within user-generated content can be processed and shared with affiliates. The FTC Act's prohibition on unfair or deceptive practices is relevant if the license is exercised in ways not reasonably anticipated by users based on the platform's disclosure. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The sublicensing right to affiliated companies without clear scope limitation creates moderate governance exposure, particularly where user content may contain personal financial information or investment strategies that users would not expect to be distributed. The absence of an explicit duration or geographic limitation on the license is worth noting. JURISDICTION FLAGS: California residents have rights under the CCPA to understand how personal information, including data embedded in user-generated content, is used and shared. EU users, if applicable, would have rights under GDPR Article 6 regarding the legal basis for processing personal data contained in content, and the sublicensing right may require evaluation against GDPR data transfer restrictions. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Affiliated companies receiving sublicensed content should be assessed as data processors or joint controllers depending on jurisdiction, with appropriate data processing agreements in place. Vendor contracts with marketing, analytics, or AI training providers that may receive user content under this license should be reviewed for compliance with applicable data protection obligations. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: A data mapping exercise should identify what categories of personal information may be embedded in user-generated content subject to this license, and whether downstream use by affiliates and sublicensees is disclosed with sufficient specificity to satisfy CCPA and analogous state privacy law notice requirements. If user content is used for AI model training or product development, additional disclosure and consent considerations may apply.

Applicable agencies

Provision details

Other risks in this policy

• Mandatory Arbitration and Class Action Waiver high
• Unilateral Terms Amendment medium
• Account Suspension and Termination at Sole Discretion high
• Limitation of Liability high
• User Indemnification Obligation medium
• Governing Law and Jurisdiction medium

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