Dropbox is testing AI tools—an experiment that involves OpenAI getting access to users' documents and files if you start futzing around with the AI tools. You can opt out by…

Edit 1 :

@AteshgaRubyTeeth@lemmy.world.

If you’re fed up with companies fucking you over there’s an alternative.

There software called Nextcloud which you can run on a server which works in comparable ways as Onedrive/Google Drive/Dropbox/etc. works.

You could host it yourself on a server if you know how.

If you’re not familiar with forwarding ports or setting static IP adresses you can rent some server space from Hetzner where Nextcloud is included.

Edit 2 :

@TheFederatedPipe@kbin.social

I’m totally in favor with your post, but not everyone is willing to self-host or is capable of doing it. So I recommendation would be and one that I’m currently using, is when uploading a file to these cloud services encrypt your files. I’m using #cryptomator, but I’m sure there are other alternatives, like #rclone. There is also #veracrypt, but to my understanding, is not great for cloud sync.

Cryptomator official website Quick youtube video in how to use cryptomator (3:51)

Cryptomator is open source and free, but only on desktop. To use the mobile version, you will have to pay. Here is a list of alternatives to cryptomator, if you are familiar with one, please share your knowledge.

Edit 3 :

@danileonis@lemmy.ml

Don’t forget Syncthing, I always suggest it first since it doesn’t require a server or advanced knowledge to work.

  • AteshgaRubyTeeth@lemmy.world
    785·
    11 months ago

    If you’re fed up with companies fucking you over there’s an alternative.

    There software called Nextcloud which you can run on a server which works in comparable ways as Onedrive/Google Drive/Dropbox/etc. works.

    You could host it yourself on a server if you know how.

    If you’re not familiar with forwarding ports or setting static IP adresses you can rent some server space from Hetzner where Nextcloud is included.

    • KptnAutismus@lemmy.world
      26·
      11 months ago

      i’ve recently figured out how dynamic DNSs work, i am unstoppable.

      now i just need to figure out how to encrypt traffic…

      • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        21·
        11 months ago

        LetsEncrypt offers free SSL certificates, if you’re familiar with reverse proxies then it’s not too difficult to implement. I have mine set up to automatically renew my wildcard cert, then send a special signal to the nginx docker container for it to reload the SSL certs

        A more onedrive/google drive-like alternative to Nextcloud would be Syncthing, which is E2EE and doesn’t need additional config of SSL certs and the like

      • EmergMemeHologram@startrek.website
        84·
        11 months ago

        I got some angry letters from my ISP when I was younger for using dynamic DNS, ranging from it being a virus to it violating their terms.

        No idea of they still get pissy about it or not.

    • jabjoe@feddit.ukEnglish
      11·
      11 months ago

      With Nextcloud, when you, install maps, the location logging app, uploads your photos, you can see your life laid out over a time access. It’s scary it you normally give all that to say Google or Apple.

        • jabjoe@feddit.ukEnglish
          2·
          11 months ago

          If it’s only to your own servers, it is much less of an issue. Use Firefox and it will ask your permission if a site requests it.

    • N-E-N@lemmy.ca
      3·
      11 months ago

      Any chance you could explain the basics of how the Hetzner thing would work? I’m noob

        • LemmyHead@lemmy.ml
          2·
          11 months ago

          Their customer support is the worst I’ve ever experienced though. If nothing goes wrong,I guess they’re okay.

          I’d recommend skiff instead as not self hosted alternative

          • AteshgaRubyTeeth@lemmy.world
            2·
            11 months ago

            I havent yet dealt with the customer service so this is indeed something to keep in the back of my head.

            Does internxt and skiff also provide fully setup nextcloud instances or do you need to set it up yourself?

            I’m reading that nextcloud tends to break whenever you update it or perform administrative tasks. Hetzner does al this for you so that’s a bonus item.

    • TGhost@lemmy.mlOP
      3·
      11 months ago

      I can copy past this on the resume ? Is it ok for you, I clearly agree, and don’t use that shit of DB ofc. I keep this link for relatives though

    • qaz@lemmy.world
      11·
      11 months ago

      I’ve been using Nextcloud hosted by Hetzner for more than a year and it’s been working great.

  • ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org
    43·
    11 months ago

    Missing option that I use:

    Free Google Drive mounted with rclone and then eCryptfs filesystem mounted on the Google Drive mountpoint.

    I get the free space and Google only sees encrypted files.

    • TGhost@lemmy.mlOP
      61·
      11 months ago

      not bad too, i will not edit the body with that because i think it can be against the ToS of Google, and if not and that’s become a popular solution, that will be for sure in it then.

      You can loose your account so easily with them, so its better to be “reliable” ^^

    • tjhart85@kbin.social
      6·
      11 months ago

      Same, it’s kind of a symbolic gesture since I apparently haven’t used DB since 2018, but still, I cited them sharing files with AI companies as the reason.

  • zephyr@lemmy.world
    36·
    11 months ago

    Yet another reminder that the cloud is just a fancy name for someone else’s computer.

    • derpgon@programming.dev
      2·
      11 months ago

      Of course it is. Just a reminder that IaaS > SaaS. Host your own stuff, it’s not that hard, amd nobody will come snooping.

    • U de Recife@literature.cafe
      2·
      11 months ago

      Not really that fancy. It’s just a marketing euphemism. The giving of a cool name to something very mundane.

      You’re right, it’s just a clouded way of saying 'someone else’s computer '.

  • davel [he/him]@lemmy.mlEnglish
    363·
    11 months ago

    DropBox has been dead to me since 2014 when they put former US Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice on their board of directors.

  • Danileonis @lemmy.ml
    23·
    11 months ago

    Don’t forget Syncthing, I always suggest it first since it doesn’t require a server or advanced knowledge to work.

    • ghosthand@lemmy.mlEnglish
      15·
      11 months ago

      They are not testing this for every account. But you should check your settings every so often.

    • OfficerBribe@lemm.ee
      1·
      11 months ago

      This feature is a thing if your account:

      • On Dropbox Professional, Essentials, Business, Business Plus, and some customers on Dropbox Standard and Advanced.
      • In countries with the preferred language set to English. Excluding Canada, the UK (United Kingdom), and countries within the EEA (European Economic Area).

      Would recommend going through that article in general, this is yet another great example how people start to go nuts without understanding something.

  • Sabre363@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    171·
    11 months ago

    The only real way to opt out of this shit is to start using a better cloud and nuke Dropbox from every computer you own

    • jabjoe@feddit.ukEnglish
      7·
      11 months ago

      If it’s not open source and self hosted, I think it will probably turn out just the same as Dropbox. It’s the power dynamic. Closed SaaS, on someone else’s computers, is a very weak position. Not surprising when the relationship turns abusive.

    • labsin@sh.itjust.works
      2·
      11 months ago

      There is pCloud which is based in Switzerland which has mostly the same regulation as the EU. They specifically state that they won’t use your data for commercial purposes. Until the company merges or gets bought I guess.

      Ofc if it’s not end-to-end encrypted and all open source and self hosted, you can’t really be sure.

      • skulblaka@kbin.social
        3·
        11 months ago

        They specifically state that they won’t use your data for commercial purposes. Until the company merges or gets bought I guess.

        Which you won’t hear about until after all the existing data has been scraped off the servers. The company, if bought, will be bought for the value of their data stores and whatever corporation purchases them will specifically want to keep the news quiet until after they’ve gotten their value out of the data store. Therefore this is a non-starter as you may as well just hand the info to Dropbox today.

  • TheFederatedPipe@kbin.social
    14·
    11 months ago

    I’m totally in favor with your post, but not everyone is willing to self-host or is capable of doing it. So I recommendation would be and one that I’m currently using, is when uploading a file to these cloud services encrypt your files. I’m using #cryptomator, but I’m sure there are other alternatives, like #rclone. There is also #veracrypt, but to my understanding, is not great for cloud sync.

    Cryptomator official website
    Quick youtube video in how to use cryptomator (3:51)

    Cryptomator is open source and free, but only on desktop. To use the mobile version, you will have to pay. Here is a list of alternatives to cryptomator, if you are familiar with one, please share your knowledge.

    • s3rvant@kbin.social
      3·
      11 months ago

      Yep, I have a decently large free dropbox account and just use Cryptomator to continue using it

    • small_crow@lemmy.ca
      5·
      11 months ago

      Finally, someone will read John/John, my series of erotic John Oliver / Elton John fanfictions.

  • Victor@lemmy.world
    61·
    11 months ago

    “Third-party AI services are only used when customers actively engage with Dropbox AI features which themselves are clearly labeled,”

    Should be fine since I never ever use DB then.