Whatnot · Whatnot Terms of Service · View original document ↗

Broad User Content License

Medium severity High confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Uncommon · 10 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

When you post any content on Whatnot, including photos, videos, or descriptions, you give Whatnot the right to use, copy, modify, and share that content globally without paying you anything.

This analysis describes what Whatnot'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

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

This license is transferable and sublicensable, meaning Whatnot can pass these rights to third parties, and the license covers modifications and derivative works, giving Whatnot significant flexibility over how your content is used.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Any product photos, stream recordings, or descriptions you post on Whatnot can be used, modified, and sublicensed by Whatnot for its business purposes without your additional consent or compensation, including potentially in marketing or promotional contexts.

How other platforms handle this

Ideogram Medium

By using our Services, you grant Ideogram a royalty-free, worldwide, sublicensable, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, create derivative works of, publicly display, and publicly perform your Content (including prompts and Outputs) in connection with operating and improving ...

Pinterest Medium

By making available any Content through the Service, you grant to Pinterest a non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable, worldwide license to use, copy, modify, create derivative works based upon, distribute, publicly display, and publicly perform your Content in connection with opera...

Grammarly Medium

By submitting, posting, or displaying Content on or through the Services, you give Grammarly a worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such Content in connection with providing and improving the Servi...

See all platforms with this clause type →

Monitoring

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
By making any User Content available through the Services you hereby grant to Whatnot a non-exclusive, transferable, worldwide, royalty-free license, with the right to sublicense, to use, copy, modify, create derivative works based upon, distribute, publicly display, and publicly perform your User Content in connection with operating and providing the Services.

— Excerpt from Whatnot's Whatnot Terms of Service

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Broad platform content licenses are generally standard in the industry and are typically enforceable as a contractual grant of rights under copyright law. However, the sublicensable and transferable nature of this license may interact with FTC guidelines on endorsements and testimonials if user content is repurposed in advertising contexts without adequate disclosure. In the EU, the Digital Services Act and GDPR may impose additional constraints on how user-generated content is processed and shared, particularly where content contains personal data. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The license's scope, covering modification and derivative works, is broader than a pure distribution license and could allow Whatnot to alter user content in ways the user did not anticipate. The transferability right means that if Whatnot is acquired or merges with another company, the license passes to the successor entity. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU and UK users may benefit from additional protections under GDPR where content constitutes personal data, requiring a lawful basis for processing beyond contractual necessity. California residents may have CCPA-related rights regarding content that qualifies as personal information. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Sellers who post branded or proprietary product imagery should assess whether this license grant conflicts with their own IP ownership or exclusivity arrangements. The sublicensability right is a meaningful due diligence consideration for brands and retailers using the platform for product launches or exclusive content. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Teams should confirm that the scope of this license is disclosed to sellers at onboarding in a sufficiently prominent manner, particularly regarding the sublicensing and modification rights. Any use of user content in advertising or AI training contexts should be evaluated against applicable FTC, GDPR, and state law requirements.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has authority over use of consumer-generated content in advertising contexts, including endorsement and testimonial disclosure requirements.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Whatnot Terms of Service
Entity
Whatnot
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 11, 2026
Last verified
May 11, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-010146
Document ID
CA-D-00731
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
b004999cb5790fcea852f2c7a74f97dc701c834bd53dc7719ae5d0ff36889183
Analysis generated
May 11, 2026 02:44 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Whatnot
Document: Whatnot Terms of Service
Record ID: CA-P-010146
Captured: 2026-05-11 02:44:29 UTC
SHA-256: b004999cb5790fce…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/whatnot/whatnot-terms-of-service/broad-user-content-license/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Whatnot's Broad User Content License clause do?

This license is transferable and sublicensable, meaning Whatnot can pass these rights to third parties, and the license covers modifications and derivative works, giving Whatnot significant flexibility over how your content is used.

How does this clause affect you?

Any product photos, stream recordings, or descriptions you post on Whatnot can be used, modified, and sublicensed by Whatnot for its business purposes without your additional consent or compensation, including potentially in marketing or promotional contexts.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 10 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Whatnot?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Whatnot.