You thought Windows’ Recall was a privacy nightmare? Adobe just topped it up!

People aren’t happy with the new Adobe Terms of Service update and for good reason, some even going so far as calling Adobe a spyware factory. The changes, which were quietly slipped into the ToS earlier this year, give Adobe broad rights to access, use, and even share user-created content for a variety of purposes, including training its artificial intelligence (AI) models.

The Adobe Terms of Service update has led to a significant backlash from users who feel their privacy has been violated and their creative works are being exploited without their consent, similar to Windows 11’s Recall feature.

The unwelcome Adobe Terms of Service update

The heart of the controversy lies in the updated Adobe ToS clause that allows Adobe to use your work to train its machine learning models. The Adobe Terms of Service update states:

Our automated systems may analyze your Content and Creative Cloud Customer Fonts (defined in section 3.10 (Creative Cloud Customer Fonts) below) using techniques such as machine learning in order to improve our Services and Software and the user experience.

– Adobe Terms of Service update

While Adobe claims this is done to improve its products and services, many users are concerned that their creative works are being used to train Adobe’s AI models without their permission or compensation. This is particularly troubling for professional artists and designers who rely on Adobe’s software for their livelihoods and may not want their unique styles and techniques replicated by AI.

The backlash against Adobe’s updated ToS has been swift and widespread. Many users, like Wetterschneider on X, have taken to social media to express their outrage, with some even calling for a boycott of Adobe products. Several online petitions have been started demanding that Adobe reverse the changes, and some legal experts are exploring the possibility of class-action lawsuits.

"iT's StAnDaRd" isn't really a great defense, people. Our assets are our business. If a company wants to use our assets to help "improve" their software – then they can hire us and pay us.

This shouldn't be an all-you-can-eat buffet of free assets for their R&D.

— Wetterschneider (@Stretchedwiener) June 5, 2024

Adobe’s history with user data is not the brightest

This is not the first time Adobe has faced criticism over its handling of user data. In 2013, the company suffered a massive data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of users. In 2019’s Adobe Terms of Service update, Adobe was accused of secretly collecting user data from its Creative Cloud apps, a claim the company denied. These incidents have eroded trust in Adobe and made many users wary of the company’s motives.

The current controversy over the Adobe Terms of Service update has only amplified these concerns. Many users feel that Adobe is prioritizing its own interests over those of its users, and that the company is not being transparent about how it uses user data. This lack of trust has led some users to seek out alternative software from companies with stronger privacy policies.

Adobe product alternatives worth checking out

While Adobe’s suite of products is widely used in the creative industry, there are many alternative apps available that offer similar functionalities, often at a lower cost or even for free.

• Photoshop: GIMP (free and open-source), Krita (free and open-source), Affinity Photo (paid), Pixelmator Pro (paid)
• Illustrator: Inkscape (free and open-source), Affinity Designer (paid), CorelDRAW (paid)
• InDesign: Scribus (free and open-source), Affinity Publisher (paid), QuarkXPress (paid)
• Premiere Pro: DaVinci Resolve (free and paid versions), Final Cut Pro (paid, Mac only), HitFilm Express (free and paid versions)
• After Effects: Blender (free and open-source), HitFilm Pro (paid)

Some of these alternatives may not offer all the same features as Adobe’s products, but they can still be powerful tools for creating high-quality content.

Customers unhappy with the Adobe Terms of Service update are seeking new alternatives (Image credit) The growing trend of data harvesting

Adobe is not the only company facing scrutiny over its data practices. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of companies collecting and using user data in ways that many users find invasive and exploitative. This has led to a broader debate about the balance between technological innovation and individual privacy rights.

The controversy surrounding Adobe’s ToS update is a stark reminder that this debate is far from over. Tech giants need to prioritize transparency and respect for user privacy.

Failure to do so will only further erode trust and lead to more backlash from consumers.

Featured image credit: Szabo Viktor/Unsplash