YouTube

YouTube (Google) takes a broad license to uploaded content and harvests extensive cross-service data for ad targeting. It can remove videos or terminate channels at its discretion.

🚨 Key things to watch out for

The clauses that could affect you the most. Read these even if you skip everything else.

Uploading content grants YouTube a broad, sublicensable, royalty-free license and the right to monetize your content without paying you.

content-conduct

YouTube can suspend or terminate your entire Google account, sometimes without stating the reason, though decisions are case-by-case and appealable.

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📋 Every clause, explained

Browse what the terms actually say — filter by severity or by topic.

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Showing 15 clauses

welcomeWelcome to YouTube / Introduction1 clause

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Data used for ads and recommendations

📥Data collection

welcome-A

💬 YouTube is free because it monetizes your data to target ads and power recommendations. This is standard for ad-supported services, and there are settings/controls, but your personal information is being used for advertising.

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“We make money selling ad space to businesses, and we use your data to show ads that are useful to you, depending on your settings ... We also use your personal information to make the Service more helpful to you, depending on your settings (for example, through our content recommendation system).”

content-conductYour Content and Conduct5 clauses

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Broad license to YouTube

📄Claims your content

content-conduct-A

💬 You keep ownership of your uploads, but you grant YouTube a very broad, free, worldwide license that it can transfer and sublicense to others. YouTube can modify, distribute and analyze your content. The license is limited to operating/promoting/improving the Service.

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“By providing Content to the Service, you grant to YouTube a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable licence to use that Content, the right to reproduce, host, make technical copies, distribute, modify, display, analyze, make publicly available and perform it for the purpose of operating, promoting, and improving the Service.”

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License to other users

📄Claims your content

content-conduct-B

💬 Every other user also gets a free license to use your content through YouTube features (like sharing or embedding), though only within features the platform provides.

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“You also grant each other user of the Service a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to access your Content through the Service, and to use that Content (including to reproduce, distribute, modify, display, and perform it) only as enabled by a feature of the Service.”

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License survives content removal in some cases

📄Claims your content

content-conduct-C

💬 Deleting your content doesn't always fully undo the license. Copies already downloaded offline by others or kept for legal reasons may persist after you remove your content.

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“Once removed, the licences will terminate, except where the operation of the Service, use of Content permitted before your removal, or the law requires otherwise. ... removal of Content by you does not require YouTube to: (a) recall Content that is being used by other users within any limited offline viewing functionality of the Service; or (b) delete copies we reasonably need to keep for legal purposes.”

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YouTube can monetize your content without paying you

📌Other

content-conduct-D

💬 YouTube can place ads on or charge for your uploaded content and keep the money. Simply uploading gives you no right to be paid unless you have a separate agreement like the Partner Program.

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“You grant to YouTube the right to monetize your Content on the Service (and such monetization may include displaying ads on or within Content or charging users a fee for access). This Agreement does not entitle you to any payments.”

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Automated analysis of your content

🤖AI training on your data

content-conduct-E

💬 Automated systems scan your content. If they flag it as illegal, it can be removed and your whole Google account suspended or terminated automatically.

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“We may use automated systems that analyze your Content to help detect infringement and abuse, such as spam, malware, and illegal content ... When our automated systems identify Content as being illegal, it may be taken down in whole or in part and your access to the Service and your Google account may be suspended or terminated.”

terminationAccount Suspension and Termination2 clauses

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YouTube can suspend/terminate your account

⛔Account termination

termination-A

💬 YouTube can suspend or terminate your entire Google account (not just YouTube) for breaches or perceived harm. Termination is meant to be case-by-case and proportionate, and you can appeal or go to court.

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“YouTube reserves the right to suspend or terminate your Google account or your access to all or part of the Service if: (a) you materially or repeatedly breach this Agreement; (b) we are required to do so to comply with a legal requirement or a court order; or (c) there are objective and concrete reasons to believe that there has been conduct that creates liability or harm to any user, other third party, YouTube or our Affiliates.”

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Termination may occur without prior notice

⛔Account termination

termination-B

💬 YouTube will usually tell you why it terminated you, but in several broadly-defined situations it can act without giving you the reason.

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“We will notify you with the reason for termination or suspension by YouTube unless there is an objective and concrete reason to believe that to do so: (a) would violate the law or the direction of a legal enforcement authority; (b) would compromise an investigation, (c) would compromise the integrity, operation and security of the Service; or (d) would cause harm to any user, other third party, YouTube or our Affiliates.”

changesDevelop, Improve, Update and Changing the Agreement2 clauses

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YouTube can change or discontinue the Service

📝Can change terms anytime

changes-A

💬 YouTube can change, add, or remove features at any time. However, it commits to considering your interests, giving reasonable advance notice for negative changes, and letting you export your content.

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“we may make modifications or changes (to all or part of the Service) such as adding or removing features and functionalities, offering new digital content or services or discontinuing old ones.”

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Terms can be changed with notice

📝Can change terms anytime

changes-B

💬 YouTube can amend these terms. You normally get advance notice and a chance to review, but for new features or urgent situations changes can apply without that. Your only remedy if you disagree is to stop using the Service.

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“We may change this Agreement (1) to reflect changes to our Service or how we do business ... If we update this Agreement, we'll provide you with reasonable advance notice ... except (1) when the changes address a newly-launched product or feature, or (2) in urgent situations”

legalOther Legal Terms3 clauses

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Liability capped for business users

🛡️Limits their liability

legal-A

💬 If you use YouTube for business, YouTube's total liability to you is capped at either what it paid you in the last 12 months or €500, whichever is higher, and it excludes lost profits and indirect losses. Consumer legal rights are unaffected.

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“YouTube and its Affiliates' total liability for any claims arising from or relating to the Service is limited to the greater of: (a) the amount of revenue that YouTube has paid to you from your use of the Service in the 12 months before the date of your notice ... and (b) €500, whichever is higher.”

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No promises about the Service

🛡️Limits their liability

legal-B

💬 Beyond legally required guarantees, YouTube doesn't promise the Service will be reliable, available, accurate, or that your content will stay stored. Your statutory consumer rights still apply.

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“Other than as expressly stated in this Agreement or as required by law (see the Legal Guarantee), YouTube does not make any specific promises about the Service.”

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No responsibility for third-party links

🔗Shares with third parties

legal-C

💬 YouTube isn't responsible for external sites you reach through links. Standard practice, but read their terms and privacy policies.

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“The Service may contain links to third-party websites and online services that are not owned or controlled by YouTube. YouTube has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, such websites and online services.”

about-agreementAbout this Agreement2 clauses

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Agreement can be assigned to third parties

📌Other

about-agreement-A

💬 YouTube can hand your contract to another Alphabet company or a buyer, but not in a way that reduces your rights without consent.

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“YouTube may transfer all or part of this Agreement to an Affiliate or, if YouTube is sold, to a third party, where such a transfer does not have the effect of reducing your rights without your consent.”

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Favorable governing law for EEA users

📍Jurisdiction

about-agreement-B

💬 For EEA/Swiss users, your own country's law applies and you can sue in your local courts — this is consumer-friendly, unlike forced foreign arbitration clauses.

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“If you live in the European Economic Area, or Switzerland, this Agreement, and your relationship with YouTube under this Agreement, will be governed by the laws of your country of residence, and legal proceedings may be brought in your local courts.”

YouTube terms of service, explained in plain English — TOSTLDR