Privacy News Dropbox shares user data with OpenAI by default

[Ink]

Content source

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/12/dropbox-spooks-users-by-sending-data-to-openai-for-ai-search-features/

On Wednesday, news quickly spread on social media about a new enabled-by-default Dropbox setting that shares Dropbox data with OpenAI for an experimental AI-powered search feature, but Dropbox says data is only shared if the feature is actively being used. Dropbox says that user data shared with third-party AI partners isn't used to train AI models and is deleted within 30 days.

Even with assurances of data privacy laid out by Dropbox on an AI privacy FAQ page, the discovery that the setting had been enabled by default upset some Dropbox users. The setting was first noticed by writer Winifred Burton, who shared information about the Third-party AI setting through Bluesky on Tuesday, and frequent AI critic Karla Ortiz shared more information about it on X.

According to the FAQ, the third-party AI toggle in your account settings is turned on by default if "you or your team" are participating in the Dropbox AI alpha. Still, multiple Ars Technica staff who had no knowledge of the Dropbox AI alpha found the setting enabled by default when they checked.

 

[ForgottenSeer 100397]

Dropbox shares user data with OpenAI by default... That's like giving your secrets to a gossip-loving parrot!

 

[Zartarra]

A parrot like this one: