Using Dropbox

Arachnid

I was going to start using Dropbox, but before creating an account, I came across the Privacy & Security concerns section on Wikipedia.

And the link Criticism of Dropbox expands on the information.

So, in 2024, how safe IS Dropbox?
Can Dropbox employees really access users' information & what about the claim that Dropbox has ownership of users' data?

mikeyb2001

@Arachnid i would just avoid anything with a sketchy policy like that

Pesala

It doesn’t bother me because everything that is potentially sensitive is in encrypted 7z archives:

WebPlus publications
PagePlus Books and Correspondence
ToDo.txt current diary and website login data
Bank Statements, etc.

Arachnid

I'm just planning to send pictures, videos & documents/notes to family & friends.

Nothing sensitive. I was just wondering if anyone's had any problems with Dropbox.

Think I'll give it a small test run.

Catweazle

@Arachnid, if you don't want to host the files and only share these with friends and family, the most private solution is to do it P2P. That means, that, instead of uploading your files, using apps like Syncthing or Croc, sharing the files direct from your HD. The advantage is that you have full control over the files, you can even interrupt downloads (Downloads are only possible if your PC is online), you can share files and folders of every kind and size without any third party server in the middle.
https://syncthing.net
https://schollz.com/tinker/croc/

Apart of these apps, there are also some online solutions, eg.
https://www.sharrr.com (admit files up to 100GB, Stored distributed 7days, single download)

All solutions are FOSS and encrypted

mib2berlin

@Arachnid
Hi, all employees/admins of mail providers can read your mails but they are not allowed to do so.
If the do they lost there jobs and go to jail, I guess this is the same for file sharing.
As @Catweazle mentioned some does this encrypted.
I don't really care about a file sharing company can open my images, the other images I don't share anyway.
I use Dropbox for many Years but stopped as they stop Linux support.

Cheers, mib

Catweazle

@mib2berlin, Google read your Gmail, but don't go to jail.

mib2berlin

@Catweazle
Yes but "collect the content you create, upload, or receive from others when using our services" is not meant as an employee read it.
They use it for KI training and so forth but all know this, at least I hope so.

Catweazle

@mib2berlin, don't hope, apart of AI training, reading your mail is way older as AI, Google use all data of it's apps and services to profile you, because it make money with this, Google is an advertising company (Alphabet.inc), not a privacy one.