Adobe's Predatory Updated Terms of Service

Adobe has recently announced its new terms of service for its Creative Cloud application. With it, they are requiring their many subscribers to agree to these terms to continue using their library of software applications, like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. However, there’s a catch. If you read sections 2.2, 4.1, and 4.2 of the terms of service, it states that Adobe ‘may access user content through both automated and manual methods, including viewing and listening to the content for review purposes.’ This new change has raised many concerns about privacy and user rights amongst Adobe customers.

Many users, including myself, are concerned about this unfettered level of access, especially if you are the type of person who may be working for or alongside a business/entity that requires non-disclosure agreements for the content created. Sensitive projects and confidential client information could potentially be exposed, leading to significant ethical and legal ramifications. There has been a significant backlash on social media regarding these terms, with many users feeling that the access is predatory and infringes on their privacy. The worst thing about these terms is that they allow Adobe the license to take any person’s content and use it however they please. Since then, many people have taken to social media platforms such as Ex/Twitter to express their dissatisfaction and encourage others to seek alternative design software solutions and cancel their Adobe CC subscriptions.

Speaking about these concerns, users have always long criticized Adobe for transitioning to a subscription-based model, especially when you consider the high monthly fees, which can add up to a substantial amount of money every year. The shift from a one-time purchase to a subscription-based model has made Adobe’s products less accessible, particularly for freelancers, small businesses, and hobbyists. Many users feel that the cost does not justify the service, especially given the recent privacy concerns. The perception is that Adobe is prioritizing profit over its users' trust and satisfaction.

Since hearing about these new terms, I have since canceled my Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and deleted my Behance page. If Adobe wants to keep its customers from leaving its platform, it needs to come up with a new term of service that prioritizes privacy, seeks solutions that will respect user confidentiality, and offers fair pricing models. But in the meantime, there are several different photo-editing and graphic applications that you can choose from that serve as alternatives to Adobe’s suite of tools. These programs include Affinity Photo, GIMP, Krita, Procreate, DaVinci Resolve; and many more. All of these can offer similar functionalities without the added privacy concerns and high costs.

In conclusion, Adobe’s new terms of service have sparked a critical conversation about user privacy, content ownership, and the ethics of software subscriptions and the corporations behind them. While Adobe’s tools have been the industry standard for years, their recent changes and practices are driving users to reconsider their loyalty and patronage of their services.

As the customer, you have the right to your privacy and ownership of the content that you create. Taking a stand, speaking out, and refusing to accept this evident abuse of power from companies like Adobe, are just a few steps we as consumers can take to send a message to these tech companies and let them know that practices such as these will not be tolerated. Another valuable tactic is to explore other options that can enhance user experience and services without having to pay recurring expenses. By advocating for better business practices and services within the tech industry, companies can significantly enhance user satisfaction and trust, which could lead to more sustainable growth and innovation for them. I mean...one could dream, but at this point, I believe that many companies, including Adobe, have long lost this level of integrity.

So, for now, I'll just be exploring new software solutions that better align with my standards and creative purposes.

Adios, Adobe!