Alright, you are correct that I shouldn't have used the word "explicitly" in the GP comment. That said...
They have clearly shown and given themselves the freedom to remove data for any reason, including no reason, and we have seen it happen[0][1][2][3][4][5]. The point is all cloud providers have left the door open to opaque, subjective policy to do this.
You want explicit black-and-white statements. That isn't going to happen by design. Would you feel more comfortable if a person with the ability to shoot you didn't say, "I reserve the right to shoot you", but rather, "I may, if I find it reasonable under these categories -- where I am the judge, and jury, by the way, and no, you don't get to appeal -- then I will reserve the right to shoot you"?
For the record, I think Google can do whatever the heck they want with the data users choose to upload. I think that Google, if they wanted to, could require users to send a photo of themselves dressed as Snidely Whiplash as a condition of using their service. (And yes, I do think Google is a terrible evil company.)
But... It makes sense that they would reserve this right for themselves, because they of course don't want the legal quagmire they might invite otherwise.
But how clear they are about it doesn't change their actions, and really it ISN'T. THE. POINT.
The point is that data you upload has no guarantee of being there at any given point in the future. And yes, this is true of all providers, even to some degree enterprise ones.
Which is why it is a very, very good idea to set up backup systems that aren't dependent on the decisions of a third-party regarding your data.
We should recognize the salient reality of cloud providers, and operate with the playing field from there. Encrypt your data, make it redundant.
P.S. Let's not forget that this isn't just Google. This is an industry standard. Regardless of your opinion on the legality/morality, it is what is in place: https://edit.tosdr.org/cases/201
They have clearly shown and given themselves the freedom to remove data for any reason, including no reason, and we have seen it happen[0][1][2][3][4][5]. The point is all cloud providers have left the door open to opaque, subjective policy to do this.
You want explicit black-and-white statements. That isn't going to happen by design. Would you feel more comfortable if a person with the ability to shoot you didn't say, "I reserve the right to shoot you", but rather, "I may, if I find it reasonable under these categories -- where I am the judge, and jury, by the way, and no, you don't get to appeal -- then I will reserve the right to shoot you"?
For the record, I think Google can do whatever the heck they want with the data users choose to upload. I think that Google, if they wanted to, could require users to send a photo of themselves dressed as Snidely Whiplash as a condition of using their service. (And yes, I do think Google is a terrible evil company.)
But... It makes sense that they would reserve this right for themselves, because they of course don't want the legal quagmire they might invite otherwise.
But how clear they are about it doesn't change their actions, and really it ISN'T. THE. POINT.
The point is that data you upload has no guarantee of being there at any given point in the future. And yes, this is true of all providers, even to some degree enterprise ones.
Which is why it is a very, very good idea to set up backup systems that aren't dependent on the decisions of a third-party regarding your data.
We should recognize the salient reality of cloud providers, and operate with the playing field from there. Encrypt your data, make it redundant.
[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17428707
[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9768593
[2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19513501
[3]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26061935
[4]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28621412
[5]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24965432
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P.S. Let's not forget that this isn't just Google. This is an industry standard. Regardless of your opinion on the legality/morality, it is what is in place: https://edit.tosdr.org/cases/201