How WETRANSFER the fears in regards to the coaching of AI for consumer information once more

The Dutch file sharing service Wetransfer is under fire after the users have discovered the terms of use for the terms of use that apparently had the company trained on their uploaded files.

The company has now removed the controversial language, but users remain outraged. Here is what's going on – and why it is important.

What has WETRANSFER changed?

WETRANSFER users found this week that the service had improved its guidelines with a clause on the constant, license -free license for the use of user content, including the improvement of machine learning models that improve the moderation of content. The changes should come into force on August 8th.

This language was vague enough that many users – including children's book author Sarah Mcintyre And Comedian Matt Lieben – felt that Wetransfer had opened the door to train or even sell her files without permission or compensation.

How is that acceptable, @Wetransfer? You are not a free service, I pay *to postpone my big artwork files.

I do not pay you the right to sell them, sell and distribute my works of art to train Ki or printing, sell and distribute them and to set up with my own work as a commercial rival.

– Sarah Mcintyre (@jabberworks) July 15, 2025

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How did Wetransfer react?

On Tuesday afternoon, Wetransfer was bursting to check the flames and said in A Press release That it does not use user content to train AI and do not sell or released files with third parties. The company said that it was considered in the future to use AI to improve “content” in the future, but that such a function “was not created or used in practice”.

WETRANSFER has now also changed its terms of use and eliminated all mechanical learning mentions. The Version updated indicates that users grant the company “a license fee” to use their content for “operation, development and improvement of the service”.

However, the damage to the trust of the users can already be done.

Why are users so concerned?

Wechat is followed by a growing list of companies that have received criticism of the training of machine learning systems for user data. AdobePresent zoomPresent LooselyPresent DropboxAnd others have recently declined or have clarified similar AI-related guidelines after a public outcry. All of these incidents use broader frustrations copyright And approval In AI age – and refer to trust in problems between users and technology companies.

Wetransfer has long marketed itself as a creative-friendly marketing, Privacy consciously File sharing service. So it may not be surprising that the vague wording of the AI and the comprehensive license rights such as a betrayal of their users felt, especially for artists and freelancers, that their work could be tacitly granted in machine learning models without consent.

While Wetransder clarified its conditions for many users of the service, the damage was already caused. In answers to Wetransfers civil servants notice On X, some said that it looked as if the service had tested the water with wider AI authorizations, received a quick public counter reaction and then quickly declined.

It is unlikely that WETRANSFER is the last technology company that is involved in this type of controversy. When AI fever spreads, user data becomes the new fuel.