Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

curiousrat.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 128 posts

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#41

Post by sixothree »

capo wrote: post #37
ctdonath wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Problem is: the rights as worded by Google allow a whole lot more than the reasonable-use wording by Dropbox. Remember that recent flap about iOS apps uploading users' entire Contacts list for non-relevant uses? hey, users gave permission for the apps to access that data without explicit limits; same idea, same concerns.

No. If they are to enable you to share a document you need to give them license to do so. If they are to create copies of the files across datacenters and employ OCR on images and use that to improve their algorithms, they need to inlucde that in their terms of service to avoid getting sued.

"use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works[...], communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content."

That's very different from what you are describing.

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#42

Post by user24 »

capo wrote: post #37
ctdonath wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Problem is: the rights as worded by Google allow a whole lot more than the reasonable-use wording by Dropbox. Remember that recent flap about iOS apps uploading users' entire Contacts list for non-relevant uses? hey, users gave permission for the apps to access that data without explicit limits; same idea, same concerns.

No. If they are to enable you to share a document you need to give them license to do so. If they are to create copies of the files across datacenters and employ OCR on images and use that to improve their algorithms, they need to inlucde that in their terms of service to avoid getting sued.

Why not make the ToS incremental so you agree as-and-when you use the relevant part of the service. Click share "Do you authorise Google to share this document yada-yada", done.

Most users will only consume part of the service, why should they have to agree to 100%?

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#43

Post by ghoul2 »

aresant wrote: post #31

If you're truly concerned about your data integrity build a TrueCrypt volume within the Goog Drive / Dropbox. Despite what the TOS says on either end there are always going to be breaches, court orders, or potentially even employees with the power to access your files.

I have found quite a few people recommend this, and never understood the point - if all you want is a "cloud" backup of your opaque data, simply use tarsnap. cheap, easy, brilliant piece of engineering. Or heck, use backblaze with their unlimited storage plan!

The trouble with building a truecrypt volume inside GDrive/Dropbox etc is that this makes the data completely opaque to the service. You give up all integration with google docs, easy sharing via links, collaboration, everything. Why use these services at all if you don't need the features they provide over and above basic backup?

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#44

Post by timothya »

There's been several articles on this topic, and I don't understand why they all seem to ignore this line in Google's TOS: "Some of our Services allow you to submit content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours."

These terms are across all of Google's services, and of course they need to state these sorts of things to keep themselves covered.

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#45

Post by orbitingpluto »

While it's obvious Google isn't planning to rape, pillage and publish your private files, their terms of service are starting on the wrong foot.

Ask for the base permissions you need and work from there. This is even more important when you're not a Google. Explain what you need and why to give them what they want from you, earn their trust and karma.

More importantly, if you sell off your company later, they will protect your users from those who might take a more liberal view of the TOS.

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#46

Post by cabirum »

Y no one compares them to skydrive?

«we don't claim ownership of the content you provide on the service. Your content remains your content. We also don't control, verify, or endorse the content that you and others make available on the service.»

« we may access or disclose information about you, including the content of your communications, in order to: (a) comply with the law or respond to lawful requests or legal process; (b) protect the rights or property of Microsoft or our customers, including the enforcement of our agreements or policies governing your use of the service; or (c) act on a good faith belief that such access or disclosure is necessary to protect the personal safety of [ppl]»

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#47

Post by ceejayoz »

brudgers wrote: post #40
ceejayoz wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Google can use your data "to develop new services" for it's own benefit. Which sounds nasty, until you realize they potentially need such language to be able to do something as simple as implementing a better spam filter, or offline syncing for your e-mail.

That doesn't however explain why they need such language for drive. Furthermore, Google could, like dropbox, limit their use of your data to providing or improving the services they provide you. Spam filtering and syncing resonably fall in that category.

> That doesn't however explain why they need such language for drive.

Google just recently went through a unification of their disparate privacy policies, terms of service, etc. I also don't see why Google wouldn't want to add services to Drive down the road...

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#48

Post by ceejayoz »

RandallBrown wrote: post #39
stuartmemo wrote: post #6

Complete FUD. Best article I've read on this is from The Verge. Google would be unable to create backups or thumbnails for example without these rights. http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/25/2973849/google-drive-terms...

To me, Google's terms imply an intention to use my data for certain things that I don't want them to, like promoting the service.

A blog post saying "We have 20 petabytes of data in Google Drive" would be promoting the service with your data. Lawyers are always going to argue for the vaguest terms possible in situations like this.

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#49

Post by xtrimsky_ »

aresant wrote: post #31

If you're truly concerned about your data integrity build a TrueCrypt volume within the Goog Drive / Dropbox. Despite what the TOS says on either end there are always going to be breaches, court orders, or potentially even employees with the power to access your files.

Doesn't allow me to access my files on my Android device. I sometimes like to access a PDF, or word document :(.

Re: Google Drive vs. Dropbox Terms of Service

#50

Post by SoftwareMaven »

ajross wrote: post #27
chwahoo wrote: post #4

I do agree that Dropbox's wording is much friendlier, but I attribute most of the difference to Google having big plans (e.g., searching and sharing) and being careful that their terms will permit them. I suspect a big part of this is Google's intention to analyze your data to make it indexed/searchable (e.g., their 'search for Mt. Everest and get back your pictures of it' features).

Really, the difference seems to be almost exclusively wording. Both licenses grant very broad powers to the service to redistribute (Google is guilty only of enumerating them more fully, where Dropbox simply claims "all the permissions we need"). Both providers include language that they will only do this in order "to provide the service", but neither enumerates exactly what that means. Does anyone see anything speci…

What people are noticing is perceived intent. Dropbox is clear what their intent is. Google is less clear. People like clarity, especially ewhen dealing with personal items.
Post reply on HN