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Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

workspaceupdates.googleblog.com

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Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#11

Post by notyourday »

baybal2 wrote: post #5

If you use anything on a commercial basis with Google, go to small claims court without hesitation, and pull the answer from them rather than keep paying them to lawyertroll you on your own money. Depending on your jurisdiction, small claim courts can actually shut down the binding arbitration clause. In Canada, Google had a long history of losing by defaults in small claims

> If you use anything on a commercial basis with Google, go to small claims court without hesitation, and pull the answer from them rather than keep paying them to lawyertroll you on your own money.

And be blacklisted from using Google products and services.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#12

Post by umvi »

Note that files can be restricted not just for violating ToS, but also "program policies"[0].

This includes files that are identified as: CSAM, Circumvention, Dangerous and Illegal Activities, Harassment, Bullying, Hate Speech, Misleading Content, Spam, Violent Organizations and Movements, and more.

Google further notes they "may make exceptions based on artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific considerations, or where there are other substantial benefits to the public from not taking action on the content."

[0] https://support.google.com/docs/answer/148505

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#13

Post by Goronmon »

RegnisGnaw wrote: post #8

Note that you can still access your files, they are not blocking that or restricting that. Its the sharing that's blocked.

Yeah, to me this makes this kind of a non-issue. Because I always assumed that any cloud provider like this would be capable and willing to block sharing of files based on their policies.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#14

Post by qnsi »

ncann wrote: post #10

I believe this may be due to the popular spamming method lately which is tagging people into a Google Docs and share it so everyone receives a notification (the spam message). It works better than regular email spam since apparently Gmail doesn't treat Google Docs notification email as spam (at least not as often).

there is also a method for sharing pirated media using google drive. TBH I'm surprised they havent started earlier

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#15

Post by RankingMember »

mikece wrote: post #2

Google says you can request a review if you believe something should not have been flagged as a ToS violation but no mention is given to any rights you have. To me this reads as "You can request whatever you want but it might not mean anything in reality.": https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2463328 Conversely, the information for how to report what you perceive as a ToS violation is far more complete: https://su…

The "but you can request a review!" handwaving all these massive tech platforms use to assuage concerns about heavy-handed (and coldly automated) policy application is really long overdue for serious consumer protection regulation.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#16

Post by Goronmon »

ncann wrote: post #10

I believe this may be due to the popular spamming method lately which is tagging people into a Google Docs and share it so everyone receives a notification (the spam message). It works better than regular email spam since apparently Gmail doesn't treat Google Docs notification email as spam (at least not as often).

That and I'm not sure how different this is from cloud file sharers that disable file shares for reasons like piracy, which is something that I'm pretty sure Google Docs was doing already.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#18

Post by anshumankmr »

RegnisGnaw wrote: post #8

Note that you can still access your files, they are not blocking that or restricting that. Its the sharing that's blocked.

But seriously how long is it before Google implements a hashing algorithm (not too dissimilar from Apple's) to check if a user has not uploaded content with a copyright on it and taking some form of action on the user.

This feels like a slippery slope to be on.

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