Don’t Rush to Conclusions About Medium’s New Terms of Service

Let’s unpack our bags and observe

As a writer, I can respect an individual or organization that makes their intentions known and allows me to decide whether I want to stick around or quit. While Medium’s new policy is concerning, writers may see things differently if they look at the situation from a different angle.

Some writers may adapt right along with Medium.

Medium decided it could, and it did

Here is the paragraph from the new policy that's raising concerns.

“You retain your rights to any content you submit, post, or display on or through the Services.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, by submitting, posting, or displaying content on or through the Services, you grant Medium a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully paid, and sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform and display your content and any name, username or likeness provided in connection with your content in all media formats and distribution methods now known or later developed without compensation to you.” — Medium Policy effective Sep 1

Writers have rights to their content, and so does the platform they write on. Both Medium and the writer are co-owners of content. Writers can use their work for any purpose. Medium can do the same thing across the platform because the writer agreed to it. Medium received a lot of questions so they responded in this article:

Writers have to be so damn good!

Medium might or might not use content from every writer on the platform. Realistically, a writer must write brilliant content for Medium to want to copy, right?

They won't even curate all of writer's articles. Unless you are a top writer like Barack Obama, Ryan Holiday, Tim Denning, Thomas Oppong, and many more who have achieved such successes and gotten millions of views, you have little to stress about right now. A new writer can learn ways to adapt and thrive and learn from those whose content will be created into derivative works.

A brilliant article written before can be written again and again. The best writers don't worry too much as long as their message is out there in the world and only they can produce something worth copying.

Successful writers think before making decisions

Writers are teachers. They write so people can learn. They come up with original ideas so others can steal them. Like Holiday does in this article:

For someone to want to copy an artist’s work, they must find it amazing. That is a compliment to a writer. While giving the writer his/her credit would go a long way, it doesn't always happen and sometimes there's nothing to do about it. It is what it is.

Some writers will quit because they fear someone taking credit for their work. They don't love that idea. They need credit, but as writers, it's about your message being out there in the world. The fact that Medium decides to do this doesn't make the platform any less great. There are still plenty of brilliant and talented writers here who still need your support.

The grass isn’t greener on the other side

While many writers are contemplating their next move and deciding the next place to write, don't forget the saying: The grass isn't greener on the other side.

People change. Things change. Situations change. The world is a changing one and it has done nothing but change and it will continue to change. Change is everywhere. Change is hard. Change is uncomfortable, but change is bound to happen.

There will be writers who stay

Some writers will read more instead of quitting. Paying five dollars a month for thousands of amazing articles from top writers is still a pretty good deal for them because they adapt.

A writer might simply stay to read. To observe and to make connections. Making connections is part of the writing journey. When change happens, the writer changes his mind to be creative.

Final thoughts

As a writer on Medium, deciding to stay doesn't mean what you just agreed to is cool. It sucks and your feelings are valid. The decision has already been made and you have a choice to quit or adapt. I’m choosing the latter.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference .”— The Serenity Prayer

Just in — 8/19/2020

We’ve now edited the Terms of Service to more clearly reflect what we said in that post — Medium.

Read the full post below:

For further reading: