WeTransfer walks back policy over AI concerns

Popular file sharing service WeTransfer has walked back a recent change to its terms of service after they appeared to give the company sweeping rights over user content.

One clause in the updated terms stated the company could use data to “improve performance of machine learning models that enhance our content moderation process.”

The language sparked alarm among creative professionals on social media, particularly photographers. Some interpreted the clause as permission to use, sell or share their files with AI companies.

In response to mounting criticism on social media, WeTransfer issued several clarifications and updated its terms.

“We don’t use machine learning or any form of AI to process content shared via WeTransfer, nor do we sell content or data to any third parties,” a spokeswoman told the BBC.

The company says the original clause was intended to cover internal moderation tools, not the training of commercial AI models.

“From your feedback, we understood that it may have been unclear that you retain ownership and control of your content,” WeTransfer wrote in a blog post.

“We’ve updated the terms to make them clearer, and removed the mention of machine learning, which isn’t used in connection with customer content and may have caused concern.”

As AI technology matures, tensions over users unwillingly granting tech companies permission to use their data for machine learning are becoming increasingly common. Many AI systems, such as those being championed by big tech companies, continue to depend on large datasets to improve.