Meta

You are agreeing to a two-stage deletion process that leaves data in backups for months.

“After the content is deleted, it may take us up to another 90 days to remove it from backups and disaster recovery systems.”

What that means: Your data remains accessible to Meta internally long after you believe it has been deleted.

The contract explicitly states that data persists in backup systems for up to 90 days after the initial deletion period, meaning total removal is delayed.

You are agreeing to let Meta use, modify, and share your content widely.

“you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, and worldwide license to host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, publicly perform or display, translate, and create derivative works of your content”

What that means: You lose exclusive control over your photos and videos, allowing Meta or its partners to use them broadly.

Meta takes a perpetual, transferable, and sublicensable right to your content. This means they can give these rights to third parties, even after you delete the content, until it is fully removed from their systems.

You are agreeing that Meta is not responsible for the safety or performance of the service.

“Our Products... are provided "as is," and we make no guarantees that they always will be safe, secure, or error-free... DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES”

What that means: If the service fails or gets hacked, you have limited legal recourse and bear the risk.

Meta provides the service 'as is' and disclaims all warranties regarding safety, security, or errors, limiting their liability significantly.

You are agreeing to have your off-platform activity tracked and analyzed.

“we use data about the connections you make, the choices and settings you select, and what you share and do on and off our Products - to personalize your experience.”

What that means: Meta builds a detailed profile of you using data from third-party sites.

The terms explicitly state that Meta tracks your behavior on websites and apps outside of their own ecosystem to build a profile of your interests.

You are agreeing that these rules apply to all Meta-owned products unless noted otherwise.

“These Terms... govern your access and use of Facebook, Messenger, and the other products, websites, features, apps, services, technologies, and software we offer... except where we expressly state that separate terms... apply. (For example, your use of Instagram is subject to the Instagram Terms of Use)”

What that means: Your agreement extends across the entire Meta family of apps, not just Facebook.

While Instagram has its own terms, the scope covers 'other products' including 'WhatsApp' and 'Threads' implicitly via the Meta Company definition, creating a unified agreement structure.

You are agreeing that your content stays if other users continue to share it.

“Content will not be deleted within 90 days... where your content has been used by others in accordance with this license and they have not deleted it”

What that means: Your content may remain visible indefinitely if others keep using it.

If others have shared your content under the granted license, your original deletion request does not erase it from their view or Meta's servers until they delete it.

You are agreeing to be matched with ads based on advertiser-defined audiences.

“We don’t sell your personal data to advertisers... Instead, advertisers can tell us things like the kind of audience they want to see their ads, and we show those ads to people who may be interested.”

What that means: Your data fuels a targeted advertising marketplace.

They do not sell raw PII, but they facilitate the commercial sale of your attention and inferred profile data to advertisers, which is a core part of their business model.

You are agreeing that your continued use binds you to updated terms.

“Once any updated Terms are in effect, you will be bound by them if you continue to access or use our Products.”

What that means: You are bound by new rules simply by keeping your account open.

Continued use of the service acts as acceptance for new terms, though they promise to notify you before changes go into effect.