WeTransfer Changes Policy After Concern It Could Train AI on User’s Photos

WeTransfer, a popular file-sharing platform used by photographers, has been forced into a climbdown after it faced a large backlash for changing its terms and conditions in a way that might allow the company to use customers’ work to train AI models.

The controversy began after a recent update to WeTransfer’s terms appeared to grant the company broad rights over user content, including a clause referencing the use of data to “improve performance of machine learning models that enhance our content moderation process.” This language raised alarms creative professionals, including photographers, some of whom interpreted the terms as giving WeTransfer permission to use, sell, or share their files with AI companies.

In response to growing concern on social media, WeTransfer issued multiple clarifications and revised the disputed section of 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 company spokeswoman tells the BBC.

WeTransfer says that the original clause was intended to cover the potential use of AI in internal content moderation processes, not for training commercial AI models.

“From your feedback, we understood that it may have been unclear that you retain ownership and control of your content,” the company writes in a blog post. “We’ve since updated the terms further to make them easier to understand. We’ve also removed the mention of machine learning, as it’s not something WeTransfer uses in connection with customer content and may have caused some apprehension.”

The updated terms, which take effect for existing users on August 8, now state: “You hereby grant us a royalty-free license to use your Content for the purposes of operating, developing, and improving the Service, all in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy.”

Previously, the terms also included the right to “reproduce, distribute, modify,” or “publicly display” user content, which fueled further concerns that WeTransfer could share or monetize uploaded files. The company says the revised language is intended to prevent misinterpretation.