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Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

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Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#141
post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Copyright is fundamentally a monopoly on data. The very name implies that you can restrict who can copy data, how many copies can be made. Copying data is among the most basic, fundamental computer operations. Therefore all computers are inherently capable of violating copyright, they merely need to be instructed to do so. It's the 21st century and copyright is absolute nonsense. Computers make it seem absurd by triv…

> It's the 21st century and copyright is absolute nonsense. This is an awful, terrible take. We know that intellectual property is much more artificial than pretty much every other type of property right, but we still want governments to enforce copyright and other IP law because it's a good way to make sure that people have a financial incentive to be creative or do R&D. Copyright needs reform (and many types of DRM…

Since you work in copyright, you've probably also seen firsthand how overzealous copyright enforcement can destroy businesses that produce excellent content.

Frankly, your bias shows and you might have a case of EverythingLooksLikeANailitis. The copyright industry may be "protecting" jobs in some ways, but it's also destroying jobs in others. It's halting progress in so many cases.

You also need to look at who, in practice, is protected by copyright. The grand majority of the money being protected is that of big, rich industries. Even when the Little Guys are protected, it's usually by a bigger company that gets the way bigger cut from it (eg. stock photo and music artists).

A world without copyright is a different one. IP lawyers and copyright enforcers might be out of a job, but it doesn't mean it'd be one without music or art. We'd find a different way to make it work, hopefully a way that doesn't drive the next Aaron Swartz to suicide.

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#142

"A review cannot be requested for this restriction" ML enforcing rules is bad enough, but not allowing false positives to be corrected is ridiculous. This is why I would never consider g-suite for any business application. Otoh, I think there is a legitimate business to be made helping small businesses and individuals secure themselves against arbitrary behavior from big tech. This kind of thing can have serious cons…

"The trial" by Kafka needs to be required reading for everyone involved in implementing systems like this.

Really? They don’t need any more ideas!

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#143

I experienced something similar building an internal tool on GSuite. I had a large file with sequences of 9 digit numbers specific to our use-case, all tied to names of people (employees). Whelp, at one point the tool I was working on stopped working, and it was flagged as apparently containing social security numbers (which I suppose matched the character length). Whelp, on the admin panel, you can get a report of t…

That's ridiculous. Storing social security numbers is necessary for lots of businesses.

Imagine your filing cabinet not letting you file employment forms with a SS# on them.

It's the sticky note password problem all over again...

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#144
post #131
post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Management is made of leaky abstractions. I think of course that humans should still be the accountable party, but AI can guide baser decisions so that more time can be spent on the hard problems. Imagine how many thousands of hours managers have wasted at this point discussing WFH. They should have been figuring out their supply chain and labor strategy.

This argument would be more compelling if companies were in general better at driving management decisions using all of the many data analysis techniques already available. Making something lower effort but also harder to understand and more error prone doesn't seem like an obvious win....

I agree! I think management processes need more open experimentation, though. Documenting and creating decision trees makes those decisions more transparent overall. It also aids in transfer learning, something which, from first hand experience, is lacking on ground-scale. Meaning, there's a lot of management knowledge in people's head's that increases bus factor risk. That can be mitigated, whether through my proposed method or otherwise.

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#145
post #7

"A review cannot be requested for this restriction" ML enforcing rules is bad enough, but not allowing false positives to be corrected is ridiculous. This is why I would never consider g-suite for any business application. Otoh, I think there is a legitimate business to be made helping small businesses and individuals secure themselves against arbitrary behavior from big tech. This kind of thing can have serious cons…

How long until cloud providers are forced to scan block devices, so you can't even self-host a file erroneously flagged by the ML? (Actually, how long until this is integrated with the "security engine" in CPUs, so you can't even hide with encryption? Everyone is talking about on-device voice-recognition and CSAM recognition, but no doubt the copyright lobby is going to push hard for this as well.)

"How long until cloud providers are forced to scan block devices, so you can't even self-host a file erroneously flagged by the ML?"

If you are using a cloud provider you are not self-hosting.

Self hosting means you own the machine.

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#146
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How long until cloud providers are forced to scan block devices, so you can't even self-host a file erroneously flagged by the ML? (Actually, how long until this is integrated with the "security engine" in CPUs, so you can't even hide with encryption? Everyone is talking about on-device voice-recognition and CSAM recognition, but no doubt the copyright lobby is going to push hard for this as well.)

It hurts me to even think about this. We're headed towards such a bleak future. The only solution I can think of is to kill copyright in order to save computing freedom. Otherwise our computers will eventually no longer be ours.

[deleted]

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#147
post #38
post #28

"Thanks for helping google keep the web safe" Interesting thing to add in there, how on earth does copyright stuff have anything to do with safety?

Not that I agree with it, but here's the FBI view: "Not only can the violation of intellectual property rights damage the economy, it also poses serious health and safety risks to consumers, and often times, it fuels global organized crime." https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/white-collar-crime/piracy-ip... No helpful detail on why it's not safe.

Because the FBI might ask your government to enforce US copyright law and your overly enthusiastic leader sends helicopters filled with heavily armed Police officers to raid your house at dawn, perhaps?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/dotcom-wins-settlement-from-po...

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do we need to kill copyright? Couldn't we just kill vigilante enforcement of it? Maybe we should make it the law that if you see a copyright violation, your only legal options are (1) nicely ask the infringer to stop voluntarily, or (2) sue.

Copyright is fundamentally a monopoly on data. The very name implies that you can restrict who can copy data, how many copies can be made. Copying data is among the most basic, fundamental computer operations. Therefore all computers are inherently capable of violating copyright, they merely need to be instructed to do so. It's the 21st century and copyright is absolute nonsense. Computers make it seem absurd by triv…

Cameras made it easy to copy things, so did printing presses, photocopiers and now computers. None of them have killed copyright, which is still functioning just fine. Musicians still sell music, directors still make films, the apocalypse simply isn’t happening.

Yes there are occasional abuses, unfair YouTube takedowns and crap like this from Google. They must be fought, no argument there. Life will go on.

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#149
post #122
post #15

I'm curious if it was related to the file name. I created a few 1-byte files with just "1" in them, with different names, including "output04.txt". No problems so far. Also uploaded variations with "\n" and "\r\n" after the "1". And enabled sharing to anyone with the link. No issues so far. Google drive does support metadata like a description and comments. I wonder if someone posted some copyrighted text in a commen…

Update: It has now flagged the file with "0\n" in it. So it's official, Both 0 and 1 are copyrighted :) https://imgur.com/a/xMgh6Xn

Relevant Onion article here: https://www.theonion.com/microsoft-patents-ones-zeroes-18195...

Re: Google Drive flags file only containing “1” for copyright infringement

#150
post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Copyright is fundamentally a monopoly on data. The very name implies that you can restrict who can copy data, how many copies can be made. Copying data is among the most basic, fundamental computer operations. Therefore all computers are inherently capable of violating copyright, they merely need to be instructed to do so. It's the 21st century and copyright is absolute nonsense. Computers make it seem absurd by triv…

Cameras made it easy to copy things, so did printing presses, photocopiers and now computers. None of them have killed copyright, which is still functioning just fine. Musicians still sell music, directors still make films, the apocalypse simply isn’t happening. Yes there are occasional abuses, unfair YouTube takedowns and crap like this from Google. They must be fought, no argument there. Life will go on.

> Cameras made it easy to copy things, so did printing presses, photocopiers

Not at massive global scales. Not at negligible costs. Not with complete impunity. Not in a way that was accessible to everyone.

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