Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project • Hacker News Board

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#21

Post by arashf » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:42 PM UTC

This is Arash from Dropbox. We removed the ability to share the project source code because it enables communications with our servers in a manner that is a violation of our Terms of Service. By our TOS, we reserve the right to terminate the account of users in this case. However, we chose to remove access to the file instead of terminating the account of the user.

We recently built a tool that allows us to ban links across the sytem (as of a few weeks ago) and I wasn't aware that a DMCA takedown email would be auto-generated and sent. This was a tool built for our support team and I'd never personally used it. That said, we feel strongly that the code is a violation of our TOS and don't believe the removal of the content from our site is censorship.

I'd also like to clarify that nobody's accounts were threatened: in every case my phrasing was as follows: 'I hope you can understand our position and can agree to remove the Dropship code'.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#22

Post by CoffeeDregs » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:43 PM UTC

Most interesting comment to that article:

    Thankfully all DMCA requests are filed under penalty of      
    perjury. If he claims that he owns the copyright to 
    material he doesn’t own, he has now opened himself up 
    to civil litigation.

Really. Seems so: http://www.aaronkellylaw.com/Internet-Law-and-Intellectual-P...

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#23

Post by duck » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:45 PM UTC

Tip: If something is on the web and has been linked to via a site like HN, don't ask them to remove it no matter how bad it hurts you. It will never result in a good thing for you and will definitely hurt more afterwards.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#24

Post by andrewflnr » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:46 PM UTC

arashf wrote: post #21

This is Arash from Dropbox. We removed the ability to share the project source code because it enables communications with our servers in a manner that is a violation of our Terms of Service. By our TOS, we reserve the right to terminate the account of users in this case. However, we chose to remove access to the file instead of terminating the account of the user. We recently built a tool that allows us to ban links…

I thought you had to actually violate the TOS first.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#25

Post by thecoffman » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:47 PM UTC

arashf wrote: post #21

This is Arash from Dropbox. We removed the ability to share the project source code because it enables communications with our servers in a manner that is a violation of our Terms of Service. By our TOS, we reserve the right to terminate the account of users in this case. However, we chose to remove access to the file instead of terminating the account of the user. We recently built a tool that allows us to ban links…

Of course you're well within your rights to remove the content from Dropbox itself as it violates your TOS - I think most people are objecting not to that, but to you requesting that copies of the source be removed from third party sites like github.

The attempt to quash knowledge is the offensive part - not the enforcing of your TOS. At least that's my 2 cents.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#26

Post by reynolds » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:48 PM UTC

arashf wrote: post #21

This is Arash from Dropbox. We removed the ability to share the project source code because it enables communications with our servers in a manner that is a violation of our Terms of Service. By our TOS, we reserve the right to terminate the account of users in this case. However, we chose to remove access to the file instead of terminating the account of the user. We recently built a tool that allows us to ban links…

I personally feel that Dropbox removing files from someone's account is completely wrong, regardless of your ToS. Your service is there to backup files. When you delete references to files from someone else's accounts, you're violating the trust that people put in your service.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#27

Post by ZackOfAllTrades » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:48 PM UTC

arashf wrote: post #21

This is Arash from Dropbox. We removed the ability to share the project source code because it enables communications with our servers in a manner that is a violation of our Terms of Service. By our TOS, we reserve the right to terminate the account of users in this case. However, we chose to remove access to the file instead of terminating the account of the user. We recently built a tool that allows us to ban links…

Best thing you can do now: offer the dropship guy a job.

He knows your product well enough to "break" it and he has the motivation to create something strong enough that it is causing a fuss. Learn from Geohot. Don't scare away people who want to play with and extend your product.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#28

Post by ugh » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:48 PM UTC

Understandable. Dropbox doesn't want to become a piracy website. Using a DMCA takedown request was a stupid way of dealing with the issue, though.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#29

Post by stianan » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:49 PM UTC

arashf wrote: post #21

This is Arash from Dropbox. We removed the ability to share the project source code because it enables communications with our servers in a manner that is a violation of our Terms of Service. By our TOS, we reserve the right to terminate the account of users in this case. However, we chose to remove access to the file instead of terminating the account of the user. We recently built a tool that allows us to ban links…

Why bother removing it when it will always be available elsewhere? I honestly don't understand.

Re: Dropbox Attempts To Kill Open Source Project

#30

Post by arashf » Mon, Apr 25, 2011, 8:49 PM UTC

reynolds wrote: post #26

arashf wrote: post #21

This is Arash from Dropbox. We removed the ability to share the project source code because it enables communications with our servers in a manner that is a violation of our Terms of Service. By our TOS, we reserve the right to terminate the account of users in this case. However, we chose to remove access to the file instead of terminating the account of the user. We recently built a tool that allows us to ban links…

I personally feel that Dropbox removing files from someone's account is completely wrong, regardless of your ToS. Your service is there to backup files. When you delete references to files from someone else's accounts, you're violating the trust that people put in your service.

We didn't remove the file - we simply banned public access to it.