Following a notification received by users of WeTransfer that it would be changing its terms to allow for uploaded content to be used for, seemingly, the training of AI, the file sharing platform has received substantial backlash. As a result, WeTransfer has gone back on the change.
In summary, the change granted WeTransfer a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable license to use uploaded content for the purposes of operating, developing, commercialising, and improving its service or new technologies or services, including to improve performance of machine learning models that enhance its content moderation process. This is totally inappropriate where users are transferring sensitive information, confidential information or original creative works as this then becomes used to train AI models, something that creative industries have been pushing back against heavily in recent months. The further amended and current term no longer includes a licence for content to be used to train AI models. However, it is still vague in what WeTransfer is actually using your content for.
We also became aware of the change via the notification and received notice from Jakki Brown, of Max Publishing and Progressive Greetings, that it had also been brought to light in the greeting card industry. Understandably, the change caused great discomfort among businesses within this sector and many have now been put off using it altogether.
We recently worked with PG Buzz to explain what the changes mean for businesses and the considerations businesses should have before using services such as WeTransfer and AI platforms where sensitive information may be uploaded. You can read the full article here: https://www.pgbuzz.net/emos-jennie-rutter-flags-wetransfer-ai-fears/.
If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.
