SoundCloud is fairly transparent and offers some user controls, data rights, and a 14-day withdrawal period for paid subscriptions. However, it also uses extensive tracking, personalized ads, broad content licenses, and allows unilateral terms changes and moderation-based account action.
SoundCloud lets users browse without an account, but many features require registration and the service collects substantial account, usage, device, cookie, and advertising data. Users keep ownership of uploaded content, while granting broad licenses for hosting and sharing, and some user contributions are licensed indefinitely. The terms allow moderation, account suspension, and unilateral changes with notice, while privacy disclosures are relatively detailed and include deletion and EU/UK/US rights.
Points of interest
SoundCloud collects device, usage, cookies, ad IDs, and may use analytics and ad-tracking technologies. That means your activity can be used to personalize ads and content, especially if you consent where required.
"nous utilisons des cookies et d'autres technologies similaires, telles que des pixels, un stockage local et des identifiants d'appareil mobile"
The terms say free access is supported by personalized advertising based on how you interact with the platform. This means your behavior helps choose ads shown to you.
"nous diffusons des publicités personnalisées pour le compte d'annonceurs tiers."
When you upload, SoundCloud and other users get worldwide, royalty-free licenses to host, share, copy, and otherwise use your content within the service and related services. That is broad enough to matter if you care about how your uploads circulate.
"vous accordez également une licence limitée, mondiale, non exclusive, libre de droits et de redevances aux autres utilisateurs de la Plateforme"
SoundCloud can modify the Terms at its discretion, with changes taking effect after notice. Continued use after the notice period counts as acceptance, so users need to keep checking for updates.
"nous nous réservons le droit de modifier, changer, remplacer ou revoir les présentes Conditions d'utilisation, à tout moment et à notre entière discrétion"
SoundCloud can suspend or terminate accounts if it thinks activity violates the terms or community rules, and it can do so with or without notice in some circumstances. That gives the platform strong enforcement power over user access.
"nous pouvons, avec ou sans préavis, suspendre ou résilier votre compte"
You can use the service without creating an account, which lowers the barrier to basic access. Some features still require registration and additional data.
"Vous n'avez pas besoin de créer un compte SoundCloud pour vous rendre sur notre Plateforme ou l'utiliser."
SoundCloud says it does not claim ownership of your uploads. You retain ownership, even though you grant the service a license to use them.
"SoundCloud ne revendique aucun droit de propriété sur votre Contenu"
Audio and profile content licenses end when you delete them, but comments and other contributions remain licensed indefinitely and irrevocably. Deleting your account will not fully undo those permissions.
"Les licences relatives aux commentaires ou aux autres contributions que vous faites sur la Plateforme sont à durée indéfinie et irrévocables"
Deleting audio removes corresponding files from SoundCloud’s systems, and the privacy policy says account deletion removes associated data except backups and limited retained records. However, offline copies may persist up to 30 days and some records remain.
"Supprimer du Contenu audio sur votre compte entraîne la suppression automatique des fichiers correspondants"
The privacy policy gives EU/UK and US users rights, plus settings to manage cookies, ad personalization, some sharing, and account deletion. This is a relatively clear control set compared with many streaming services.
"Le document décrit les transferts internationaux de données, donne des droits sur les données pour les résidents de l'UE/du Royaume-Uni et des États américains"
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Documents
Terms of Service
source ↗- •Using SoundCloud means you accept its Terms, Community Rules, and moderation policies, and you must meet the stated minimum age for your region.
- •You may use SoundCloud personally and revocably, but you must not scrape content, fake engagement, impersonate others, bypass security, or upload illegal or infringing material.
- •You keep ownership of content you upload, but you grant SoundCloud and other users limited worldwide licenses to host, share, play, and distribute it.
- •You promise your uploads are authorized, lawful, and do not violate others’ rights, and you may have to indemnify SoundCloud for related claims or losses.
- •SoundCloud may monitor through moderation, remove or restrict content, issue warnings, and suspend or terminate repeat or serious violators.
- •You can report copyright or other rule violations, and if SoundCloud removes content or restricts your account, you can use its internal complaint process.
- •SoundCloud says the platform is provided as-is, may be unavailable or flawed, and it does not guarantee uninterrupted service, security, or virus-free operation.
- •SoundCloud’s liability is limited to 100 euros or the amount you paid in the previous 12 months, whichever is higher, subject to non-waivable legal exceptions.
- •Paid subscriptions have separate terms, include a 14-day legal withdrawal period, and generally are not refunded if you cancel early or are terminated for violations.
- •German law generally governs disputes, with Berlin courts as the usual venue, except where mandatory U.S. or EU law requires otherwise.
Privacy Policy
source ↗- •SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG, SoundCloud Inc., and Repost Network Inc. act as joint controllers for centralized internal processing, otherwise the controller depends on your location.
- •You are not required to create an account to browse, but some services require account data like email, password, age/date of birth, postal code, username, and sometimes payment details.
- •SoundCloud automatically collects device, log, usage, cookies, general location (if enabled), and mobile advertising/analytics identifiers, and may use analytics and ad tracking technologies with consent where required.
- •SoundCloud can receive data from third-party sign-in providers (Facebook, Google, Apple) and service partners for payments, advertising, analytics, moderation, hosting, and customer support.
- •SoundCloud uses personal data to run and improve the platform, provide security and fraud prevention, personalize content, send service messages/notifications, and support SoundCloud Monetization.
- •Your profile content and interactions (like comments, likes, followers, and public listening activity) are shared with other users, artists, and sometimes rightsholders under applicable terms.
- •SoundCloud shares data with service providers for processing, with advertisers/partners for advertising and measurement (often hashed/aggregated), and may disclose data to authorities or for legal protection.
- •For EU/EEA/UK users, processing under the GDPR is based on consent, contract necessity, legitimate interests, or legal obligations, depending on the activity.
- •You can control cookies and ad personalization via settings, disable certain sharing (including music/API access), and delete your account, which removes associated data except backups and limited retained records.
- •The policy describes international data transfers using appropriate safeguards, gives data rights for EU/UK and US state residents, and provides a contact email; it does not cover refunds or termination.
