You retain ownership on paper, but YouTube can use your videos commercially — including in ads and promotions — without paying you, unless a separate deal exists.
Consumer impact
YouTube's terms grant the platform sweeping rights to use, distribute, and monetize content you upload, while limiting YouTube's financial liability to you to just $500. Parents who allow children to use the platform are personally bound by the full terms of service and responsible for their child's conduct. You can download a copy of your data at any time via Google Takeout at https://takeout.google.com/settings/takeout before closing your account.
What you can do
⚠️ 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
Navigate to your YouTube Studio, select the content you wish to remove, and delete it. Note that the license continues for a 'commercially reasonable period' after deletion.
Applicable agencies
Federal Trade Commission (ftc)
Oversees unfair or deceptive business practices and can investigate companies that mislead consumers about data collection, sharing, or use.
Who can file: Anyone affected by the company's practices (US or international)
What you need: Your account details, a timeline of relevant events, and a description of the specific issue
What to expect: Complaints inform FTC enforcement priorities and investigations but do not result in individual resolution or compensation