When you post content on Facebook, you are granting Facebook certain rights to that content. However, Facebook does not outright own the content you post. You retain ownership of the content you post on Facebook, but you grant Facebook an expansive license to use that content.
What rights does Facebook have to your content?
When you post content on Facebook, you grant Facebook a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any intellectual property content that you post on or in connection with Facebook. This license ends when you delete your content or your account, except for content shared with others and content already used by Facebook under the licenses you granted.
So in essence, you still own the content you post, but Facebook has a broad license to use, modify, distribute, and sublicense that content while it remains public. Some specific rights Facebook has include:
Displaying and distributing your content
Facebook can display and distribute your content to others on and off the Facebook services. For example, if you share a photo or write a post, Facebook can show that post to your friends and others who use Facebook.
Storing and backing up your content
Facebook may store and back up your content on its servers around the world. This allows Facebook to display your content and restore it in the event of data loss.
Analyzing your content
Facebook can analyze the content you post to provide services and measure effectiveness. For instance, analyzing photos to provide facial recognition features.
Modifying and adapting your content
Facebook may modify or adapt your content to provide its services. For example, resizing a photo to optimize display across devices.
Allowing partners to use your content
Facebook can allow its partners, such as device makers and developers, to use, store, display, reproduce, and modify your content in connection with Facebook services and functionality.
Using your content after you delete it
If you delete your content, Facebook’s license to that content ends, except in cases where the content was shared with others, or Facebook has already used the content under its licenses.
So in summary, Facebook has broad rights to use your content in order to provide its services to you and others. But you still retain ownership and can delete the content.
What rights do you retain over your content?
Even though you grant Facebook extensive rights to your content, you still retain full ownership over the content you post and have the following rights:
Delete your content
You can delete any content you have posted at any time, which revokes Facebook’s license to it, with some exceptions noted above.
Remove tagging
You can remove tagging of yourself by others on their own content, which can help limit use of that content involving you.
Limit access
You can limit who sees certain content through your privacy settings, such as just friends or even smaller lists.
Download your data
You can download all of your content from Facebook through its settings to get a digital archive.
Complain about misuse
If you believe Facebook has misused your content beyond the rights granted in its terms, you can file a complaint or legal action.
Revoke app permissions
You can review and revoke what permissions various third-party apps have to your Facebook content and data.
So in summary, you retain full ownership of the content and have options like deleting, restricting access, downloading, and complaining about misuse. The content is still yours.
What content specifically does Facebook have rights to use?
The Facebook terms do not limit types of content they can use. Any content you post, Facebook has rights to use in order to provide its services. This includes:
Photos and videos
Any photos or videos you upload can be used and shared by Facebook worldwide.
Posts and messages
Your posts, status updates, stories, notes, and messages can be used and analyzed by Facebook.
Group content
Anything posted in a group is covered, so Facebook can display that content to the group or use it for its services.
Events
Details of any events you create and share can be displayed and shared by Facebook.
Profile information
Your profile info, bio, contact info, interests, and any other details can be used as part of Facebook’s services.
Pages and websites
If you link Facebook pixels or plugins on websites you own, content from those sites can be accessed.
Essentially any post, message, info, media, or other content you add on Facebook or integrate with Facebook services is covered by the rights Facebook has to use, analyze, modify, display, store, and share that content.
Does Facebook use your content for advertising?
Yes, Facebook does use data and content from your activity on Facebook to target and show you advertisements. Here are some ways Facebook uses your content for ads:
Interests for ad targeting
Facebook may determine your interests from the content you engage with and post, and use those assumed interests to target relevant ads to you.
Advertiser partnerships
Facebook can allow advertisers to use content you’ve engaged with for their own ad campaigns, after removing identifying info.
Facial recognition
If you’re tagged in photos, Facebook may use face recognition to enhance ad targeting, such as ads related to friends in the photo.
Page and app activity
Facebook can use content from your use of Facebook Pages, apps, and partners to determine relevant ads.
Off-Facebook activity
Facebook may target ads based on your activity off Facebook, if businesses share that activity data with Facebook.
So in many cases, the content you add or engage with can indirectly fuel Facebook’s advertising capabilities, including targeted and personalized ads.
Best practices for protecting your content
If you want more control over how Facebook uses your content for advertising and other purposes, here are some best practices:
Limit public sharing
Be selective in what you choose to publicly post vs keeping private through message or custom privacy settings.
Remove old posts
Actively manage your content over time, deleting or archiving older posts you no longer want public.
Use privacy settings
Customize your privacy settings for posting, limiting audience visibility and turn off facial recognition.
Revoke unused app perms
Remove permissions to unused third-party apps that may have access to portions of your profile and content.
Disable ad personalization
You can choose to disable personalized advertising in Facebook’s Ad Preferences settings.
Limit info in profile
Keep your profile info limited only to what you want public and remove old history sections you no longer need.
Review access regularly
Periodically check your privacy settings, profile info, app permissions, and ad preferences to ensure they match your current preferences.
Conclusion
In summary, when you post content on Facebook, you retain full ownership of that content, but grant Facebook expansive rights to use it. Facebook needs these rights to display, analyze, and back up that content as part of providing its services. You still control what you share and can delete content at any time. However, Facebook does use data and content for advertising purposes, so best practices are to limit what you share publicly and manage your privacy settings, app permissions, profile info, and ad preferences.