Nigerian content creators are reacting with concern following CapCut’s quiet update to its Terms of Service on June 12, 2025 — a change that could have serious implications for ownership and privacy of user-generated content.

CapCut, the widely used video editing app owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance (also the parent company of TikTok), now grants itself broad rights over anything users upload — videos, music, images, or sound.

According to the revised policy, once content is uploaded to CapCut, users automatically give the platform “an unconditional, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully transferable, perpetual, worldwide license” to use and distribute it — even for commercial purposes. This includes permission to modify, reproduce, publish, and sublicense content, all without notifying or compensating the original creator.

Critics warn that creators — particularly in Nigeria’s booming digital scene — could unknowingly give up control of their intellectual property. Skit makers, TikTok influencers, music promoters, and digital entrepreneurs who rely on CapCut for editing videos may find their original works used in ads or other media without credit or consent.

No Privacy, No Complaints

CapCut’s new terms also state that all user content will be treated as “non-confidential,” meaning the app is not obligated to protect personal or sensitive uploads. Users are strongly advised not to upload private material, as the platform can use or share it freely.

Worse still, creators lose the right to contest how their content is used. According to the terms:

“You waive any rights to prior inspection or approval of any marketing, advertising, or promotional materials related to such User Content… You hereby waive… any and all moral rights you may have.”

Legal Responsibility on the User

CapCut places full legal liability on users if copyright issues arise. For instance, if someone uploads a video containing a beat or music they don’t fully own, they bear the consequences — not the app.

“If you only own the rights in and to a sound recording, but not to the underlying musical works… then you must not upload… unless you have all permissions,” the policy warns.

If a third party sues over copyrighted material, the user is held responsible, and must indemnify CapCut for any legal fallout.

Content Can Be Deleted Anytime

Perhaps most troubling is CapCut’s right to delete, block, or remove any user content at its sole discretion — without prior notice or explanation. This could jeopardize creators who rely on the app for storing or showcasing their work.

“We have the right – but not the obligation – in our sole discretion to remove… any User Content… with or without notice and without any liability to you,” the company states.

What This Means for Nigerian Creators

Nigeria’s digital creator economy has flourished thanks in part to tools like CapCut, which are easy to use and mobile-friendly. However, these new terms may lead many to rethink their reliance on the platform.

Legal experts warn that creators who monetize their content or wish to retain copyright ownership should back up all files outside CapCut, review the terms closely, and consider switching to editing tools that offer clearer user protections.

While ByteDance has not officially commented on the update, the policy shift signals a trend among tech platforms to aggressively monetize user content — a development that could impact content sovereignty, particularly in countries like Nigeria where digital entrepreneurship is surging.