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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

#111

Post by kingcharles »

ugjka wrote: post #22
anshumankmr wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What if you actually own the copyrighted content or have permission to have it?

This is an issue that none of the cloud providers have solved. I had 250,000 CD rips from various record labels at one point. I had full authorization from them, but it looks like I'm a massive pirate.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#112

Post by prepend »

beached_whale wrote: post #102
jeffbee wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dropbox has the exact same policies and procedures, they just don't have the same technical abilities that Google has. Quoting from their AUP: "...you must not even try to do any of the following ...: ... - publish, share, or store materials that constitute child sexually exploitative material (including material which may not be illegal child sexual abuse material but which nonetheless sexually exploits or promotes…

The point is really, that these companies are so large that they should be much more regulated and treated like any utility. That means it is a legal proceeding when they want to drop customers. This many mean that people, gulp, pay for services, but they have chosen to intertwine themselves into too many places in the consumer landscape.

I wonder how much it used to suck when the power company wasn’t as regulated and would do stuff like “we detected illegal activity so we shut off your power.”

I’d like some balance because I don’t want Google and Dropbox to suck as much as my power and phone company. But do want some regulation around lack of due process and “bundling” where a YouTube comment can result in my GCP account shut down.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#113

Post by [deleted] »

makecheck wrote: post #106

We need “dumb” infrastructure again, that you can simply pay for with few strings attached, where the provider cannot fiddle with things at all, leaving enforcement to other authorities. We build roads; yes, those roads might be used to transport stolen goods but the road builder doesn’t get to sit there and inspect every vehicle (and accuse the wrong people sometimes and ban them from driving). It’s just so damned c…

[deleted]

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#114

Post by RIMR »

makecheck wrote: post #106

We need “dumb” infrastructure again, that you can simply pay for with few strings attached, where the provider cannot fiddle with things at all, leaving enforcement to other authorities. We build roads; yes, those roads might be used to transport stolen goods but the road builder doesn’t get to sit there and inspect every vehicle (and accuse the wrong people sometimes and ban them from driving). It’s just so damned c…

That "dumb" infrastructure still exists. You can host your own file server, either on your own hardware, or in the cloud.

Use of these consumer-grade cloud services comes with pitfalls. I see no utility in pretending that alternatives don't exist though, because they're pretty abundant.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#115

Post by thisiscorrect »

archhn wrote: post #68
semenko wrote: post #9

I don't quite grasp the panic about this: my impression is Google currently restricts ToS violations from sharing (your own access is retained). The only change here is end-users will be explicitly notified (and can theoretically contest the decision).

The panic is people's fear of the Iron Heel[1]. For most of us, the systems we depend on are controlled by other people. In this chaotic political climate, when these systems start closing in on us, or restricting us in new ways, there's no way of knowing where the tightening will end. Some are incredibly insulated and have no worries about the kind of world we're living in, but others are constantly on edge and feel…

What indication is there that any new restrictions are being placed on a user's content? The blog post from Google only mentions the change of sending email notifications to users.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#116

Post by hellojesus »

willk wrote: post #107
brutal_chaos_ wrote: post #101

Perhaps one should encrypt files before uploading to cloud services. Sure it destroys the possibility of webview for your data, but then you don't have to worry about situations like this.

Unless they decide that encrypted files violate their TOS.

Which should be a red flag not to use the service because they're collecting your data for any and all reasons.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#117

Post by sophacles »

beached_whale wrote: post #89
Manheim wrote: post #46

This is deeply disturbing news. It is already a problem that people get their Google accounts closed without any explanation from Google and with no response from Google when they try to contact them. A story about Elin Killie Martinsen, a Norwegian journalist and writer who lost access to her book manuscripts this way, was recently run in the national newspaper Aftenposten ( https://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/i/8Qj1l…

It's slightly more, but this is why I have stuck with Dropbox. Their only business is storage and it means they are less likely to do things like this. They have't been in the news, that I have seen, about actions like this. Google is a consumer hostile company at this point. Unless you have a friend with pull there, or make it a big enough news issue, the little things are treated with automated hostility. Google is…

I disagree. Google has always been a consumer hostile company. The only "at this point" thing is: they have become worse at hiding it.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#118

Post by judge2020 »

helloworld11 wrote: post #96

Why in god's name do so many people with even modest IT knowledge keep using this invasive dumpster fire of a cloud service with conditions like this one and others being piled on? There are so many affordable, secure and easy to use options on the web that trusting Google with your data seems absurd, especially considering how easily the company can simply permaban you for no discernible reason and not a human in ra…

Because

(A) it's a usable interface accessible by pretty much anyone [with a phone number, as of recent]

(B) it's cheap as you don't pay for bandwidth and storage is either $0 for 15GB or paid storage at a low-priced rate[0]

(C) all of that storage is geo-redundant and thus extremely unlikely to ever be lost, outside of Google terminating accounts (which isn't part of a lot of people's risk models).

0: https://one.google.com/about/plans

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#119

Post by remus »

StreamBright wrote: post #20

Meaning Google has access to all of the files stored on Google Drive, including and not limited to: - your business secrets - GDPR data that you legitimately have This is exactly why I do not use Google Drive for anything business critical.

Is that a surprise to anyone? It's literally a service where you upload your data directly to their servers. Businesses have contracts with other businesses to protect them against particular kinds of abuse of this data (e.g. google stealing business secrets, or leaking personal data as defined by GDPR) and google sticks to these because businesses would lost trust very quickly if they didn't respect the contracts they have.

Re: Google Drive may restrict files identified as violating ToS

#120

Post by sovietmudkipz »

RIMR wrote: post #114
makecheck wrote: post #106

We need “dumb” infrastructure again, that you can simply pay for with few strings attached, where the provider cannot fiddle with things at all, leaving enforcement to other authorities. We build roads; yes, those roads might be used to transport stolen goods but the road builder doesn’t get to sit there and inspect every vehicle (and accuse the wrong people sometimes and ban them from driving). It’s just so damned c…

That "dumb" infrastructure still exists. You can host your own file server, either on your own hardware, or in the cloud. Use of these consumer-grade cloud services comes with pitfalls. I see no utility in pretending that alternatives don't exist though, because they're pretty abundant.

Is there a source that breaks down this sort of stuff on your own hardware in a beginner friendly or at least explicit way? One hesitation I have to exposing something public that may not be secure, compromising my home network. It’s intimidating and holds me back, a bit.
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