Hostelworld usage rights for your content – Terms & Conditions

Hi there!

You’re probably here because we left a comment on one of your travel pictures on Instagram, or because you submitted Content directly to us through one of our websites or partner platforms. We absolutely love your Content and we think other travellers in the Hostelworld community will feel the same way!

What is this page for?

To make sure it’s ok for us to use your Content with the appropriate rights.

You still own your photo or video. What changes is that you give Hostelworld permission to use and reproduce your Content. 

Which Content are we talking about?

Photos, videos, writing or other material, or a combination of them all. These are all things we refer to in these Terms & Conditions collectively as Content.

Hostelworld Content Contribution: Terms & Conditions 

1. Grant of License

By submitting your content (including but not limited to photographs, videos, text, and audio) (“Content”) to Hostelworld.com Limited (“Hostelworld”) via our website, social media tagging (e.g., #YesHostelworld), or direct transfer, you grant Hostelworld and any of its group companies a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, sub-licensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, and display the Content in connection with Hostelworld’s business.

2. General Terms

• You are an individual eighteen (18) years of age or older.
• You understand there is no obligation for Hostelworld to utilise or distribute the submitted Content.
• You agree not to take any legal action against, and release and discharge Hostelworld, and its directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates, or any other person or entity acting on its behalf, for all claims in connection with the use of the submitted Content.
• You agree that Hostelworld, their agents and associates do not have to credit your Content, unless otherwise agreed in writing outside of these Terms and Conditions.

3. Social Media Platforms & Commercial Use

You specifically acknowledge and agree that your Content may be featured on:

• Hostelworld’s Official Channels: Including, but not limited to, the Hostelworld Instagram (@hostelworld) and Hostelworld TikTok (@hostelworld) accounts.
• Promotional Formats: We may use the Content in organic posts, stories, reels, and paid commercial formats to promote the Hostelworld brand.

4. Third-Party Editing & CapCut Disclosure

Hostelworld may edit, change or alter your Content as it deems necessary, all without payment of any compensation to you or a third party.

Hostelworld utilizes professional and third-party editing tools to format Content for social media. By providing Content to us, you acknowledge the following:

• Editing Software: Hostelworld may use CapCut (a ByteDance affiliate) to edit, caption, or enhance your Content.
• Secondary Licensing: You understand that uploading Content to CapCut considers such Content non-confidential. Consequently, you grant ByteDance and its affiliates a global, royalty-free, and perpetual license to use, adapt, and distribute the Content, including your username, face, and voice, in any format.
• Persistence of Rights: These third-party rights are outside of Hostelworld’s control and persist even if Hostelworld deletes the video from its own channels or if you request the removal of your original Content.

5. Intellectual Property, Moral Rights

By submitting Content, you represent and warrant that:

• Originality: You are the sole creator and owner of the Content, or you have obtained all necessary legal rights and licenses to grant Hostelworld the usage rights described in these Terms.
• Third-Party Rights: The Content does not infringe upon any third-party trademark, copyright, or proprietary rights.
• Identifiable Persons: You have obtained explicit consent in compliance with Data Protection  from every person appearing in the Content for their image, voice, and name to be used by Hostelworld and its third-party editing partners (e.g., CapCut/ByteDance).
• Minors: If a child appears in the Content, you warrant that the child’s parent or legal guardian has provided written consent for such use.
• Moral Rights: You hereby irrevocably waive any “moral rights” or other rights regarding attribution of authorship or the integrity of the materials.

6. Limitation of Liability

Hostelworld shall not be held liable for any use of the Content by third-party platform providers (including ByteDance/CapCut) that occurs as a result of the standard operation of those tools. You release Hostelworld from any claims arising out of the perpetual licenses granted to such third parties during the editing and publication process.

7. Termination

While you may request that Hostelworld cease using your Content in future campaigns, you acknowledge that Content already published or processed through third-party tools (like CapCut) may continue to exist on those platforms indefinitely due to the nature of the licenses described in Section 4.

8. Data Protection & International Transfers

By submitting Content, you acknowledge and agree to the following regarding your Personal Data (including your image, likeness, voice, and social media handle):

• Data Controller: Hostelworld acts as the Data Controller for the initial collection of your Content. Use of your data is governed by the Hostelworld Privacy Policy Best Hostels Worldwide – Meet the World with Hostelworld.
• Third-Party Processing: You acknowledge that Hostelworld utilizes CapCut (provided by ByteDance) for Content editing. By providing Content to us, you consent to the transfer of your personal data to ByteDance and its affiliates.
• Biometric & Identity Data: You understand that these third-party tools may process your facial features and voice recordings. This data may be stored on servers located outside of the European Economic Area (EEA), including in the United States or Singapore, where data protection laws may differ.
• Withdrawal of Consent: While you may request that Hostelworld deletes your data from our internal systems, you acknowledge that Hostelworld cannot compel ByteDance to delete data that has already been licensed to them perpetually through the use of their editing suite (as detailed in Section 4).

What if you don’t agree to the above terms?

Please do not submit your Content to us and do not respond to our request to use your Content with the hashtag #YesHostelworld.

Can I change my mind?

Yes! If you change your mind you can simply revoke the granting of the rights listed on this page by sending us an email to [removeme@hostelworld.com]. We aim to respond to all requests within one month.

Which data do we store?

We only store the essential data available in order to store your Content. This means public uploads and posts that you have submitted directly via our website or by responding to our request with #YesHostelworld, including publicly posted photographs. With such assets, we process name, social media username, physical address (if available), email address (if available), IP address and geo location (if available).
Full details of our Data Protection Notice can be found here: https://www.hostelworld.com/securityprivacy.php – This is included in and forms part of these terms.