After the controversy over Adobe charging for certain color features, the company’s updated terms of service now permit them to access your personal content through both automated and manual methods.
Photoshop’s latest terms require users to agree to let Adobe access their active projects for “content moderation” and other purposes. Adobe defines “content” as “any text, information, communication, or material, such as audio files, video files, electronic documents, or images, that you upload, import, embed for use by, or create using the Services and Software.”
Adobe seems to be enforcing these terms through their applications this month, prompting a wave of customer dissatisfaction as users feel coerced into accepting them.
This aligns perfectly with global developments. The Adobe suite has transitioned into a subscription-based live service known as Adobe Creative Cloud. Adobe has been steadily increasing subscription prices for this offering, which includes various programs for graphic design, video editing, and photography, all tied directly to the user in an always-online package.
Editing and graphical design software is no longer sold as a standalone product with a perpetual license; users no longer own the software they pay for. In light of global governments pushing for digital identification, Adobe’s ability to access and moderate user content could be particularly concerning for individuals creating content that may not align with legal standards.
Adobe joins Microsoft among major SaaS providers facing increased scrutiny over privacy terms and new product releases, with generative AI often being a key issue. This privacy scrutiny has intensified as Adobe integrates generative AI into applications. For instance, Adobe’s Reader and Acrobat feature a AI-powered assistant supported by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service.
Now, Adobe intends to directly monitor its users. This means users could be scrutinized or even banned for creating material deemed offensive or potentially illegal. Governments often equate “lolicon” artwork with real-life child pornography and are broadening the definition of “hate speech.”
As a result, if you use Adobe programs to create or modify controversial memes and images, you are likely to be targeted by Adobe and other tech companies monitoring your work. With subscriptions potentially tied to government-issued digital IDs, creating “illegal” or “hateful” material could lead to real-life consequences, including possible imprisonment.
The controversy arises as Microsoft faces growing outrage over a feature called Recall, which is enabled by default.
Microsoft’s new AI-powered Copilot+ PCs will screenshot users’ activities every few seconds and store the images for months. Despite CEO Satya Nadella’s claim that Recall has a “magical” ability to ensure the data won’t leave your device, a hacker named Alex Hagenah has already released a demo tool called TotalRecall that can extract and display all Recall records.
Now, Adobe aims to leverage artificial intelligence to monitor your content under the guise of moderation, effectively turning the Adobe suite into spyware on your system.
It seems Adobe itself is the greatest advocate for pirating their programs. While there are alternative solutions that might follow Adobe’s path in the future, as the concept of perpetual ownership disappears for video games, movies, and software, there are still options.
For a comprehensive package that offers a solid alternative to most Adobe products, Affinity by Serif is a great place to start. Alternatively, using several individual programs can replace the entire Adobe suite. Despite this, cracked copies of Photoshop CS6 are likely to remain popular among average consumers.
