Cloud Storage TOS Comparison

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Thinking about using Google Drive? You might want to compare terms of service agreements first. Dropbox: You own the content you upload. Microsoft SkyDrive: Ditto. Google Drive:

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.
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Damn... Its a slippery slope google and even the mightiest of companies can be hurt by stupid stunts like that.
 
That's so not going to go well for them. Normally I like Google ... but I won't be using Drive unless they change that policy.
 
uhhh.

Thats almost Gestapo like.

What happened to Google's motto of "Don't be Evil (tm)" Shame Google shame :(
 
That tidbit just solidified my discontent with the current state of Google. No Google Drive for me...
 
I recently deleted my entire google profile/account/email/etc. It hurt at first, I'm getting over it though.
Currently contemplating setting up my own email account(s) with the domain I own.

So sick of this data mining sh*t.
 
Gigantopithecus said:
Inexplicable...? Given the alternatives, why would anyone use Google Drive?
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OH wait i just logged into google apps as domain admin and i see now that google docs is already combined with google drive for me..... so that means that every one of my company excel files that were sent or received (google is hosting corp email) are now stored on google drive!
 
*snore*

Wake me when they actually do something with someone else's data and we'll talk. Until then: On with the fear-mongering!
 
Dwango said:
*snore*

Wake me when they actually do something with someone else's data and we'll talk. Until then: On with the fear-mongering!
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While I normally would agree with you and don't buy into the what-if worrying, this is a pretty crazy stance to take and is definitely outside of regular expected practices. I'm a little sad to see it was google with this policy. In any case, it'd be interesting to see that clause trying to be upheld legally - the word unconscionable comes to mind.
 
I use Dropbox. It is easy to use, works on all platforms that I use (Winxp, Win 7, Vista, Android phone, Android tablet) and it auto syncs only the files I want it to.
 
Dwango said:
*snore*

Wake me when they actually do something with someone else's data and we'll talk. Until then: On with the fear-mongering!
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If they aren't going to do anything with it then why do they need to put this in the TOS? Just by having it there they are showing that they feel they need it for some reason and therefore we shouldn't trust them to not misuse our stuff. If they aren't going to misuse it anyway then they dang well shouldn't put that in their TOS.
 
yeeeeeeeeeeeah. I'll just stick with Dropbox, thanks.
 
Most of it sounds more like lawyer CYA, then anything else... Specifically spelling out rights needed to give them the ability to access and modify files for services, like translation, compression/streaming, and public hosting (if users set it up I would hope etc).

"The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services, and to develop new ones."

That is a bit worrisome, specifically promoting, which to me implies they can use your files/apps/setup to create promotion material (screenshots of your p0rn list) instead of just creating fake accounts/data.

I think they just need to get together with their lawyers and work on a clearer TOS.

Another thought could be that the other services are not creating an adequate TOS protecting themselves legally with the access they use etc. Not that it matters, it's a TOS.
 
techrat said:
yeeeeeeeeeeeah. I'll just stick with Dropbox, thanks.
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Yup with at TOS that says "except for the limited rights that are needed to run the Services, as explained below."

What does that mean? Looks like there is more in their TOS, just wasn't quoted in the article.

Essentially how I interpreted Google's TOS, most of it is a very specific break down that dropbox above just has once sentence for, could be evil but could also be innocent.

Now the fact that dropbox and skydrive specifically address content and IP ownership is very good for customers to know.
 
Anything can be twisted and quoted out of context. Here are some additional quotes not listed:

Microsoft:

"You understand that Microsoft may need, and you hereby grant Microsoft the right, to use, modify, adapt, reproduce, distribute, and display content posted on the service solely to the extent necessary to provide the service."

"In order to operate and provide the service, we collect certain information about you. As part of the service, we may also automatically upload information about your computer, your use of the service, and service performance."

"we may access or disclose information about you, including the content of your communications"

Looks pretty bad eh?

Dropbox:

"We may need your permission to do things you ask us to do with your stuff, for example, hosting your files, or sharing them at your direction. This includes product features visible to you, for example, image thumbnails or document previews. It also includes design choices we make to technically administer our Services, for example, how we redundantly backup data to keep it safe. You give us the permissions we need to do those things solely to provide the Services. This permission also extends to trusted third parties we work with to provide the Services, for example Amazon, which provides our storage space"

Hmmmm


Google:

"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."

Moral of the story: They are all using your data in the same manner. Compare the terms of services yourself...besides the fact they are written slightly differently. They are all pretty much the same.
 
This is why I have a hosted server in which only I have permissions to. I will never trust any "upload your documents to a cloud" services. It costs more sure, but I know what eyes are on my data.

And no, I have a legal clause with the company I use in which they are forbidden from snooping/capturing my traffic unless notifying me first.
 
Got 25Gb free with MS, unless you haven't ever had a hotmail, don't see much reason to go Google drive.
 
So does this type of thing affect anyone's view on the Android OS as a whole?
 
Raise your hand if you watched the Google Drive video. Keep your hands up if you remember the TOS update for all of Google services two months ago.

Drive isn't just storage, it's cross-application data sharing. That's why they need the legal TOS that they have - so that they can, legally, move your data the way you want done if/when you share stuff across different cloud applications. If you didn't agree to those terms, they couldn't legally allow you to "drag, and drop" your files wherever you wanted them.

Also, this TOS agreement isn't anything new. It's the EXACT. SAME. UPDATE. that was posted March 1st this year. Remember, almost two months ago, when they said they were creating one TOS agreement for all of their services? This is the same one. It applies to all Google services. So if you have a problem with it now, with Drive, then go ahead and stop using Gmail, or AdSense, or YouTube, or Android, or anything else G-based that you use.

My $.02

https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/
 
Ididar said:
That's so not going to go well for them. Normally I like Google ... but I won't be using Drive unless they change that policy.
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Really, because pretty sure they have doing exactly this will all their services for a long time and it has been working out fine for them.
 
If it's that important / proprietary that you don't want anyone anywhere to ever see it, then it's important enough to pay what it costs to keep it secured on your own private cloud based out of your home or business. Doesn't have to be a full on datacenter or even a server; an old desktop will do and there are plenty of tutorials on the net to set up your own server with remote access. Simple as that.
 
im rocking 25GB of skydrive cloud storage for free. Love it.
 
Dwango said:
*snore*

Wake me when they actually do something with someone else's data and we'll talk. Until then: On with the fear-mongering!
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if sure if this was apple, you would have a different comment
 
beckzach05 said:
Raise your hand if you watched the Google Drive video. Keep your hands up if you remember the TOS update for all of Google services two months ago.

Drive isn't just storage, it's cross-application data sharing. That's why they need the legal TOS that they have - so that they can, legally, move your data the way you want done if/when you share stuff across different cloud applications. If you didn't agree to those terms, they couldn't legally allow you to "drag, and drop" your files wherever you wanted them.

Also, this TOS agreement isn't anything new. It's the EXACT. SAME. UPDATE. that was posted March 1st this year. Remember, almost two months ago, when they said they were creating one TOS agreement for all of their services? This is the same one. It applies to all Google services. So if you have a problem with it now, with Drive, then go ahead and stop using Gmail, or AdSense, or YouTube, or Android, or anything else G-based that you use.

My $.02

https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/
Click to expand...

SkyDrive lets you do the same cross-application data sharing.
 
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