# Licensing (/docs/ugc/licensing)



A license defines what the brand can do with a creator's content and
for how long. Layers does not unilaterally impose license terms;
terms are agreed between the brand and creator (directly or through
SideShift).

## Where licensing is defined [#where-licensing-is-defined]

* **Self-serve UGC** — you and the creator agree on terms directly.
  Layers does not enforce or generate contracts for self-serve UGC.
* **SideShift-managed UGC** — licensing is part of each program's
  contract, managed by SideShift. Standard terms are surfaced during
  program setup.

## Common license dimensions [#common-license-dimensions]

Typical dimensions covered in a UGC license:

* **Use** — organic only, paid amplification, or both.
* **Channels** — brand-owned handles, paid ads, OOH, retail.
* **Term** — time-limited (e.g., 3 or 6 months) vs perpetual.
* **Territory** — worldwide, single country, regional.
* **Exclusivity** — non-exclusive, category exclusivity, direct
  competitor lockout.

Specific numbers and uplifts vary by program and creator.

## Whitelisting vs licensing [#whitelisting-vs-licensing]

Whitelisting (Meta Branded Content, TikTok Spark Ads) is a
platform-level permission, separate from the usage license. A license
can grant paid-amplification rights, but running the ad under the
creator's handle still requires platform-side authorization. See
[Whitelisting & Spark codes](/docs/ugc/whitelisting).

## Records [#records]

Archive all license agreements and authorization records separately
from Layers — they are the legal record. Layers stores the operational
state (which content is running as ads, which accounts authorized
Branded Content), not the contract PDFs.