Adobe is now requiring all Photoshop users to accept new terms that give the photo-editing app access to their work stored in the cloud, and customers can’t even uninstall Photoshop if they don’t agree to the terms. Naturally, many people are angry.
Changes to Adobe Terms of Use highlighted by users, including: Santara herself For .” Section 4.1 also explains how Adobe reserves the right to remove content it deems inappropriate. “We reserve the right (but have no obligation) to remove any content, create content or restrict access to any content using: Services and software.”
All users must agree to these terms and conditions regardless, but it is important to note that any files stored locally will not be affected by the updated terms. Otherwise, you may get locked out of Photoshop.
These terms provide some assurance that they will only be used in the most stringent circumstances, but they still mean that Adobe will have access to files stored on cloud services.
Hello @Photoshop What on earth forced us this morning to sign a new agreement that locks the app until we agree to it? We’re working on a bloody movie here, and no, you suddenly don’t have the rights to any of the work we’re doing because we’re paying you royalties…June 5, 2024
Others have shared similar frustrations with X, like the one above from Duncan Jones, a filmmaker known for releases like Warcraft, Mute, and Source Code. “We’re working on a bloody movie here. No, just because we pay for Photoshop doesn’t mean we suddenly have the rights to what we do.” The biggest reason users are upset is because of potential privacy concerns. Agreeing to these terms means that Adobe has access to all files stored in the cloud service. For people in the film business like Jones, that can mean files that no one can see under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and could be leaked if not handled properly.
Since this mess started on June 5, users have been posting to X about Adobe alternatives that are free to use on Mac and Windows. So far, there is no sign of this anger subsiding. Adobe claims it did this for legal purposes, but it could also be due to recent AI efforts like Illustrator’s generative AI. Accessing user files could help Adobe train its AI, which raises big privacy concerns, as one post from X points out. Adobe Firefly, another app that uses an AI engine, was revealed last April to use another AI called Midjourney to train itself. This is understandable from the user’s perspective and this potential fear is justified.
iMore has reached out to Adobe for comment on these unavoidable conditions and will update this article as we hear more.
Adobe alternatives you can use today
Even if Adobe guarantees that files will only be accessed where permitted by law, many users will find it inconvenient to use the company’s services. Creatives like Duncan Jones and photo editors alike will be tempted to look for an alternative to what Adobe has been offering for the past 30 years.
At iMore, we use a variety of apps to suit your needs, all without using Adobe products. for example, Pixelmator is a powerful photo editing app used by news editor Stephen Warwick. He explained back in February how much he liked the app’s automated features. “What I love most about Pixelmator Pro is that you can edit your photos on autopilot. You don’t need to be the first to know about white balance, color (whoever that is), saturation, sharpness or anything else.”
But that’s not all. Affinity Photo Another great app whose use is not restricted if you avoid its terms and conditions, but you must agree to them regardless. However, if there is something that needs to be edited urgently, Photopia It’s a fantastic alternative that you can use in your web browser.
There are many Photoshop alternatives, both paid and free. But if Adobe refuses to backtrack on these updated terms, more users will realize that their time with Photoshop and the company’s other apps is over.
