Evernote's new privacy policy isn't very private, allows employees to view your data

[Exterminator]

Evernote announced some changes that are coming to its privacy policy, and users are pretty upset about it. As it turns out, some employees will be able to see your notes. According to the company, it's to "exercise oversight of machine learning technologies applied to account content".

To be clear, not all employees of the company can see your notes. Only Evernote employees that need access for the specified reasons will be able to, and they'll be "subject to background checks and receive specific security and privacy training at least annually to ensure they are up to date on the latest privacy and security requirements and standards." The firm says that the list is kept "as small as possible."

If you're an Evernote user, you do have some options. For one thing, you can opt out via account settings, under the section "Allow Evernote to use my data to improve my experience". The company says that if you do this, you won't be able to get the most out of your experience, although it would probably be more surprising if it didn't say that.

But even if you opt out, it's important to note that there are still reasons that the company could look at your data. It's all in the privacy policy, and to be clear, it's mostly legal reasons and standard things that would cause any company to look at your stuff.

The other thing that you can do is encrypt your notes. You can do this from the Windows or Mac clients, and the company says that once you do, no one will be able to access your notes without the password.

Finally, you can do what many seem to be deciding on, which is to use another service, such as Microsoft's OneNote. You'll have until January 23 to make up your mind, as that's when the new policy goes into effect.

Only "Employees that need access" with a list "as small as possible" seems to me 1 is too much.

 

[AtlBo]

I have been afraid this would sweep the internet ever since the beginning of the cloud hype. Seems to me like it has, considering MS' EULA for OneDrive and Windows. imo, the cloud hype was overhype with a shortage of value for personal privacy. The cloud isn't completely a bad idea, but employees looking at personal information will stunt the use of cloud utilities and features due to the risk of the loss of ideas. Hope this is pains before good things and not before more pain.

 

[LASER_oneXM]

i like (or liked.... ) evernote..... it was IMO a quite good online software to access own notes
on every computer and it was working fine all the time in the past.... . But now i'm thinking about leaving this service..

 

[Cohen]

I've never really used Evernote because I didn't trust it, but I know some people that do. What are some good and trustworthy alternatives that are somewhat like Evernote that I could recommend to people?

 

[Svoll]

For now, it's so popular at my university, I can't be without it as trading notes with classmates and syncing with my desktop is so seamless, its quite difficult to make the switch. My notes doesn't contain anything sensitive but I still don't like the idea of Evernote being able to access it.

Its one thing to know that privacy policy before you start and revising it years later when you already so committed and invested in it.

What if the drawing of my professor I did when I was bored in class ever got leaked and he saw it

 

[frogboy]

Well this sucks, so what is the best alternative to use instead of Evernote then.

 

[Aleeyen]

Nimbus note has some wonderful functions, even the free one is wonderful with online sync etc. Though I haven't read the privacy policy, I just use it for making simple notes like grocery list.

 

[lovehungryman]

Thankfully, I ditched Evernote since they started to charge $$$ if keeping using it for multiple devices... It was nice but honestly I rarely used it, now it seems it was a good idea stop using it.

 

[In2an3_PpG]

Never used Evernote, nor will i ever after this.

 

[DardiM]

Never used.
I wonder if they had already been able (or used) to see users notes before
I don't trust cloud, sync tools, etc...

For now, it's so popular at my university, I can't be without it as trading notes with classmates
What if the drawing of my professor I did when I was bored in class ever got leaked and he saw it

LOL ! It reminds me some good moments !