According to TOS & Privacy Policies…
| Topic | X (Twitter) | TikTok | Pandora | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| License you grant when you upload | You keep ownership but grant Meta a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, publicly perform/display, translate, and create derivatives—to operate and improve the service (ends when you delete unless others kept/shared it). Facebook | Same Meta language for Instagram uploads; identical license scope and conditions. help.instagram.com | X’s Privacy Center/ToS set rules of usage; policy updates (Nov 15, 2024) clarified retention and enforcement, and cross-refer to Terms for your license to X. privacy.x.com+1 | TikTok’s Terms (linked from Help Center) govern uploads; Help Center details how they process face & voice features within content (see AI/biometrics below). TikTok Support | SiriusXM/Pandora allow user posts (e.g., images) and process them under SiriusXM/Pandora Privacy Policy; Pandora links ToS→Privacy for use of data you submit. SiriusXM+1 |
| Ad targeting & sharing | Uses data across Meta products; commercial terms point back to the “permissions you give us” license; ads/measurement rely on your activity and device data (see Meta Policies hub). Facebook | Same Meta stack; Instagram Terms + Data Policy cover ad personalisation and monetisation tools. help.instagram.com | X explains what data is collected/used/shared for ads in Privacy Center; state-law notices (e.g., CCPA) enumerate rights and sharing categories. privacy.x.com+1 | Help Center pages expose off-TikTok data controls and ad personalisation options. TikTok Support+1 | Pandora/SiriusXM policy outlines collection, use, and CCPA disclosures (categories, purposes, and sharing), effective July 14, 2025. Pandora+1 |
| AI & model training | Meta’s AI-related terms live in separate “Meta AIs”/Avatars terms; they sit in addition to the standard license. Check product-specific AI terms if you opt in. Facebook+1 | Same Meta umbrella; creator/feature-specific AI terms (e.g., Avatars) can apply. help.instagram.com | Explicit: X updated its Privacy Policy to clarify it may use information you share to train AI models (Grok) and links to settings to control use. Update effective Nov 15, 2024. privacy.x.com | Face/voice processing documented: used to power specific features (effects, moderation, accessibility). Help Center details processing of face and voice information. TikTok Support | No broad consumer-facing “AI training” claim; policy centers on service delivery, analytics, marketing, and partner processing for SiriusXM/Pandora. Pandora |
| Biometrics & sensitive signals | Meta policies don’t ask you to waive privacy rights; however, uploaded media/metadata can be analysed for safety/personalisation under policy. (Meta AI features have their own terms.) Facebook | Ditto; teen protections & nudity protections exist at feature level. help.instagram.com | X handles personal images under rules (e.g., non-consensual nudity bans; “private information” rules about images of private individuals). Help Center | Direct statement on how TikTok processes face/voice in content (feature-bound; see controls). TikTok Support | SiriusXM notes it may collect photos or audio from interactions (posts, calls, events) and processes them under its Privacy Policy. SiriusXM |
| Location/EXIF | Meta warns photos may carry metadata; site policies and tools govern how it’s handled across products. (OS can strip before sharing.) Facebook | Instagram Help notes it may use photo metadata on device (e.g., to group/suggest content) when you grant access. help.instagram.com | X product pages emphasize user controls (e.g., media storage/data saver) and rules against sharing private info/photos of private individuals. Help Center+1 | TikTok has settings for location information and per-post visibility; controls available in Privacy. TikTok Support | Pandora policy enumerates data categories & state-law rights that cover location when collected (see CCPA page). Pandora+1 |
| Law enforcement & legal requests | Meta centralises requests handling in policies hub. (Standard: respond per law; you can read more in the Terms/Policies Center.) Facebook | Same umbrella. Facebook | X has a dedicated Law Enforcement help page describing what media and account data exist and where policy applies. Help Center | TikTok provides privacy/legal references via the Privacy Center and policy links in Help Center. TikTok Support | SiriusXM/Pandora describe disclosures in their Privacy Policy and state-law notices. Pandora |
| Kids/teens | Meta publishes youth settings/resources; enforcement via Community Standards. Facebook | Teen-specific settings & protections (nudity protection; teen privacy). help.instagram.com+1 | X has special notices (e.g., health-data state laws) and general rules; age gating applies via Terms. privacy.x.com | Under-18 defaults: private by default for 13–15, restricted downloads/duets, etc., documented in Help Center. TikTok Support | State-law pages (e.g., CCPA) spell out parent/guardian rights for Pandora. Pandora |
| Your controls | Meta: review Terms & Policies hub; you can download data, change ad settings, and remove content (license ends when deleted unless others retained it). Facebook | Same; Instagram’s Terms stress you keep ownership and can delete/limit audience. help.instagram.com | X: Privacy Center consolidates data/ads controls and state-law rights; explains retention and AI training controls. privacy.x.com+1 | TikTok: per-post audience; off-TikTok data toggle; download your data; face/voice info explainer. TikTok Support+3TikTok Support+3TikTok Support+3 | Pandora: policy + CCPA page provide access, deletion, opt-out/limit-use choices. Pandora+1 |
Deep-dive notes (what the fine print means)
- “You keep ownership, but…” is universal.
All five say you own what you upload, but you grant a broad license so the service can technically operate (store, resize, transcode, show globally, cache/CDN, moderate, etc.). On Meta (Facebook/Instagram), this is the familiar non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free worldwide license; it ends when you delete unless others retained/shared it. That exception is key: if someone else re-shared your post, Meta’s license persists for those copies. Facebook+1 - AI training policies diverge.
- X explicitly added language (Oct 16 2024 update; effective Nov 15 2024) that content can be used to train AI models (Grok), with linked controls. If you’re evaluating “use of my photos in AI,” X is presently the clearest about that use. privacy.x.com
- Meta hosts AI features under separate AI/Avatars terms—so training/usage depends on the feature you opt into, not a blanket statement across all uploads. Read the feature-specific AI terms. Facebook+1
- TikTok publicly documents how it processes face/voice info for features (e.g., effects, moderation), but the Help Center doesn’t state blanket model-training on user uploads. Review the Privacy Center and your regional policy for the latest. TikTok Support+1
- Pandora focuses on service/analytics/marketing; no broad, consumer-facing claim to train general AI on your uploads. Pandora
- Biometric/sensitive information.
- TikTok is the only one here with a prominent Help Center explainer on face & voice processing (what is processed and why). That matters if you’re worried about biometric-style signals in your videos. TikTok Support
- X has strict private-information and non-consensual nudity policies controlling what others can post of you (that’s about moderation and rights, not collection). Help Center
- Instagram adds nudity protection in DMs for safety, reflecting sensitivity to intimate imagery. help.instagram.com
- EXIF/location and metadata.
Even if a platform strips EXIF on public display, the service may still read metadata when you upload and/or when you grant device-level access (e.g., Instagram can use photo metadata on-device to group/suggest). If location is sensitive for you, scrub it before upload or use OS-level sharing tools that remove it. help.instagram.com - Ads, analytics, and “off-site” data.
- X and TikTok both expose settings to tune ads and manage off-platform data flows (e.g., off-TikTok data disconnect). privacy.x.com+1
- Meta uses cross-product signals; check your ad preferences and activity settings in the Policies Center. Facebook
- Pandora (SiriusXM) provides CCPA pages detailing categories collected/shared (and rights to access/delete/opt-out). Pandora+1
- Retention & deletion.
- X’s 2024 policy update added clarity on how long different data types are kept. Always verify in the latest Privacy Center post + policy text. privacy.x.com
- Meta and Instagram: your license ends when content is deleted—unless others still have it/shared it. That means copies you can’t reach can keep the license alive for those copies. Facebook+1
- TikTok and Pandora provide download-your-data and account deletion flows; Pandora ties timelines/rights to state laws. TikTok Support+1
- Law enforcement requests.
All five will respond to lawful requests. X has a specific page for LE requests describing what kinds of user media/info exist in the product. Help Center
Bottom-line risk ranking (for photos/video you post)
- Greatest leverage/control: Instagram/Facebook and TikTok now have robust in-app privacy controls (audience, downloads, off-site data, face/voice explainer), but Meta’s license is broad (as with most platforms), and TikTok’s biometric-adjacent processing is explicitly documented—so use controls. TikTok Support+3help.instagram.com+3TikTok Support+3
- Most explicit about AI use of your data: X (due to the 2024 update acknowledging AI model training on information you share, with user controls). privacy.x.com
- Narrowest media scope: Pandora accepts media in community areas and processes under SiriusXM’s policy; the risk surface for photos/video is typically lower than visual-first social apps, but read the CCPA notice and retention language. Pandora
Power-user checklist (actionable steps)
- Assume every upload is duplicated. Delete ≠ erase everywhere (reshared copies may persist under the platform’s license). Use ephemeral or limited-audience settings when possible. Facebook+1
- Harden your defaults before posting:
- Instagram/TikTok: set per-post audience; on TikTok control downloads/Duet/Stitch; review off-TikTok data. TikTok Support+2TikTok Support+2
- X: review Privacy Center → ads, data sharing, and AI training settings. privacy.x.com+1
- Scrub location and check EXIF before upload (OS or editor setting). Instagram may use on-device metadata when you grant access. help.instagram.com
- Mind biometrics: TikTok explains face/voice processing—turn off features you don’t need; for X/Meta, review any feature-specific AI/vision settings. TikTok Support+1
- Know your state-law rights (U.S.): CCPA/CPRA rights for access, deletion, opt-out appear in X and Pandora pages; Meta/TikTok provide region-specific pages/flows as well. privacy.x.com+1
Source pointers (primary docs you can cite)
- Facebook (Meta) Terms of Service / Policies Center. License scope and policies hub. Facebook+1
- Instagram Terms of Use / Help. Same license language; device-level media access & safety features. help.instagram.com+2help.instagram.com+2
- X Privacy Center / Updates. Retention clarifications; AI training language; state-law notices; LE help. Help Center+3privacy.x.com+3privacy.x.com+3
- TikTok Help/Privacy Center. Face/voice processing explainer; ads/off-TikTok data controls; teen defaults; per-post visibility. TikTok Support+3TikTok Support+3TikTok Support+3
- Pandora / SiriusXM Privacy. Consolidated policy (effective July 14, 2025) + CCPA rights and legal/ToS cross-references. Pandora+2Pandora+2
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