Exasperated and disturbed the new IP license in the Mastodon TOS has no termination clause.

https://mastodon.social/terms-of-service/2025-07-01

Facebook and YouTube have terms saying you can intentionally remove your IP grant by deleting the content. Twitter lets you remove your IP grant by deleting your *accounts*, which is punitive, but possible to exercise (I did). It's very good Mastodon's grant is limited-use—but so was Tumblr, and it eventually abused its. I want Mastodon to be as pro-user as *Facebook and Google*.

I think IP termination clauses are really important! I spent two full years throwing a fit about this on Cohost and I still refuse to use TikTok because of *this single issue*. Trying to figure out what to do about Mastodon suddenly joining the irrevocable license club (a club that currently includes: TikTok and not much else).

I have been using this site since 2016 and I'd rather not move (never mind Mastodon doesn't *actually* have an account migration feature).

Update:

Mastodon has checked its alarming new TOS into git as the new TOS template:

https://infosec.exchange/@dvandal/114699285766155770

Meaning all new Ruby Mastodon instances created after this date who use the stock legal text will *also* adopt an irrevocable IP grant license (no way to terminate the license if you decide your instance is abusing it) for post content (and also potentially some existing instances, if they regenerate their TOS from templates)

( POST EDITED: https://hachyderm.io/@thisismissem/114699395151999383 )

I've posted a Github issue outlining why I'm freaked out at the word "irrevokable" in Mastodon's new TOS IP clause:

New Terms of Service IP clause cannot be terminated or revoked, not even by deleting content

https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/35086

It's sort of long (sorry), but several people seemed confused what my problem was earlier, so maybe extra detail will help. I include an outline of my "nightmare scenario", and contrast other site TOSes.

I *will* delete my account over this, and I am not joking.

@mcc what, if any, instances are out there that have better TOS? I'm with you on deleting my account if there is no way to delete our content

@adanielroth Well, one week ago mastodon.social had a better TOS. I guess we'll have to interrogate individual instances as to whether they intend to adopt Mastodon gGmbH's TOS template or not. Personally if I move I'm probably going self hosting because if I have to change instances once what stops me needing to do it twice? I THOUGHT mastodon.social was the reliable instance!

@mcc @adanielroth There is a current of thought that migrating between instances should be viewed as a normal and unproblematic part of life in the fediverse. It’s inconvenient but it’s consistent with the fundamental premise of decentralization. I think of instances like boats: you can have your own dinghy, or get on a larger boat with other people. The big boat costs less and you meet more people, but when each boat inevitably sinks (or stinks) you expect to get on a different boat.