Adobe: Difference between revisions
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{{InfoboxCompany | {{ToneWarning}}{{InfoboxCompany | ||
| Name = Adobe | | Name = Adobe | ||
| Type = Public | | Type = Public | ||
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}} | }} | ||
[[wikipedia:Adobe_Inc.|'''Adobe''']] is a software company based in San Jose, California | [[wikipedia:Adobe_Inc.|'''Adobe''']] is a software company based in San Jose, California that specializes in creative software such as photo editing, video editing, animation, illustration, web development, and more. Founded in 1982, the company developed the Portable Document Format (PDF) in 1992 as well as a full suite of creative software. Due to the widespread usage of their products used by industry professionals and novices alike, Adobe dominates the creative software industry{{Citation needed}}. | ||
==Consumer impact summary== | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
===Lack of ownership=== | |||
Adobe has switched from a perpetual license model to a subscription model (Creative Cloud). | Adobe has switched from a perpetual license model to a subscription model (Creative Cloud). | ||
Adobe | ===Proprietary file formats=== | ||
Works created in Adobe software come in Adobe-exclusive file formats such as .psd for Photoshop and .indd for InDesign. | |||
===Data breaches=== | |||
Besides that, Adobe has undergone multiple data breaches which have exposed millions of users' personal and payment information. | Besides that, Adobe has undergone multiple data breaches which have exposed millions of users' personal and payment information. | ||
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===Alleged use of user data for AI training=== | ===Alleged use of user data for AI training=== | ||
{{Hatnote|Read more: [[Adobe's AI policy]] and [[Adobe Firefly]]}} | {{Hatnote|Read more: [[Adobe's AI policy]] and [[Adobe Firefly]]}}Adobe has also been accused of using user information to train artificial intelligence; mandatory cloud syncing in applications such as Adobe Fresco and Adobe Scan, without a choice to opt out and without end-to-end encryption; monitoring the reading behavior of users within eBooks; and employing [[Dark pattern|dark patterns]] to re-enable, when an application is updated, features which a user has disabled. | ||
===User documents forced into the cloud with no opt-out=== | ===User documents forced into the cloud with no opt-out=== | ||
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===Spying on users' eBook reading activities=== | ===Spying on users' eBook reading activities=== | ||
In 2014, it was revealed that Adobe Digital Editions, Adobe’s e-book reading application, reported extensive information about users' reading habits back to Adobe. This included several unique identifiers; which e-books were added to the application; when which one was opened, and for how long; percentage read; and page navigation information. | In 2014, it was revealed that Adobe Digital Editions, Adobe’s e-book reading application, reported extensive information about users' reading habits back to Adobe. This included several unique identifiers; which e-books were added to the application; when which one was opened, and for how long; percentage read; and page navigation information. | ||
All of this information was transmitted completely unencrypted in plain text. This meant that even someone else who was on the same public Wi-Fi as another user would have been able track their reading activities in real time, entirely undetected.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Sean |date=8 Oct 2014 |title=Adobe’s e-book reader sends your reading logs back to Adobe—in plain text |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/adobes-e-book-reader-sends-your-reading-logs-back-to-adobe-in-plain-text/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[ArsTechnica]]}}</ref> | |||
===Disrespect for user choices=== | ===Disrespect for user choices=== | ||
Adobe uses a [[dark pattern]] where settings which a user has disabled are re-enabled during or after each update. The same choice is presented with the desired setting as a default many times in the hope that the user will either give up or accidentally forget to uncheck the option. | Adobe uses a [[dark pattern]] where settings which a user has disabled are re-enabled during or after each update. The same choice is presented with the desired setting as a default many times in the hope that the user will either give up or accidentally forget to uncheck the option. | ||
For instance, this | For instance, this happened with the option to automatically install updates in the Adobe Flash installer. The same dark pattern is currently used in the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application, which presents the same option on each update and requires the user to disable it manually every single time if they do not wish to relinquish control to Adobe over when updates happen. | ||
Whether this is to be attributed to stupidity or malice is debatable, as for instance Adobe Lightroom Classic also has a habit of resetting the language to the system language after every update instead of what was manually chosen in preferences, and the Windows version of Adobe Illustrator had, for a very long time, required the user to manually maximize the application window and re-enable the document rulers after each startup until the issue was finally addressed when the application was moved to a different GUI framework. | Whether this is to be attributed to stupidity or malice is debatable, as for instance Adobe Lightroom Classic also has a habit of resetting the language to the system language after every update instead of what was manually chosen in preferences, and the Windows version of Adobe Illustrator had, for a very long time, required the user to manually maximize the application window and re-enable the document rulers after each startup until the issue was finally addressed when the application was moved to a different GUI framework. | ||
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In 2019, Adobe left about 7.5 million Creative Cloud customer records in a database publicly accessible online in gross negligence. The database was not even protected with a password.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=26 Oct 2019 |title=Adobe left 7.5 million Creative Cloud user records exposed online |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/adobe-left-7-5-million-creative-cloud-user-records-exposed-online/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[ZDNet]}}</ref> | In 2019, Adobe left about 7.5 million Creative Cloud customer records in a database publicly accessible online in gross negligence. The database was not even protected with a password.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=26 Oct 2019 |title=Adobe left 7.5 million Creative Cloud user records exposed online |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/adobe-left-7-5-million-creative-cloud-user-records-exposed-online/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[ZDNet]}}</ref> | ||
==Products | ==Products== | ||
===Adobe Creative Cloud=== | |||
Adobe's previous line of creative software has been joined into a wider ecosystem called the ''Adobe Creative Cloud.'' The Creative Cloud includes updated versions of the previously purchasable software: | |||
*Photoshop | |||
*Lightroom | |||
*InDesign | |||
*After Effects | |||
*Dreamweaver | |||
*Illustrator | |||
*XD | |||
*and many more | |||
Included with the Creative Cloud, depending on plan options, Adobe also offers cloud based storage, typefaces, and stock photos and other stock files. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||