WeTransfer: Difference between revisions
Clean-up. |
Justanuser (talk | contribs) added case of Pencil by FiftyThree, acquired by WeTransfer. Added in See Also 'Spotify Car Thing' which is a similar case |
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===Data breach (''2019'')=== | ===Data breach (''2019'')=== | ||
In June 2019, it was disclosed that some files were sent to the wrong recipients.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abrams |first=Lawrence |title=WeTransfer Security Incident Sent Files to the Wrong People |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/wetransfer-security-incident-sent-files-to-the-wrong-people/ |website=Bleeping Computer |date=21 Jun 2019 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112034757/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/wetransfer-security-incident-sent-files-to-the-wrong-people/ |archive-date=12 Nov 2020}}</ref> | In June 2019, it was disclosed that some files were sent to the wrong recipients.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abrams |first=Lawrence |title=WeTransfer Security Incident Sent Files to the Wrong People |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/wetransfer-security-incident-sent-files-to-the-wrong-people/ |website=Bleeping Computer |date=21 Jun 2019 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112034757/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/wetransfer-security-incident-sent-files-to-the-wrong-people/ |archive-date=12 Nov 2020}}</ref> | ||
=== Discontinuation of Pencil by FiftyThree support (''2019'') === | |||
In August 2018, WeTransfer acquired the assets of FiftyThree, Inc., including the Paper drawing app and intellectual property related to Pencil by FiftyThree, a Bluetooth active stylus launched in 2013.<ref>["FiftyThree". ''Wikipedia''. Archived from the original on 18 Apr 2026. Retrieved 18 Apr 2026. https://web.archive.org/web/20260418101936/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FiftyThree]</ref> The Pencil's key features — palm rejection, eraser, and Blend — relied entirely on Bluetooth integration with the Paper app via a proprietary SDK, and had no fallback through any open standard or third-party app ecosystem. | |||
In 2019, WeTransfer discontinued support for the Pencil in the Paper app.<ref>["Stylus". ''Evernote Help & Learning''. Archived from the original on 18 Apr 2026. Retrieved 18 Apr 2026. https://web.archive.org/web/20260418101907/https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/42082069153555-Stylus]</ref> The device was not bricked entirely — it continued to function as a basic passive stylus — but its core active features became permanently inaccessible, with no means of recovery available to consumers. No compensation or replacement was offered. The product had been sold commercially at prices between $49.95 and $59.95.<ref>["Pencil by FiftyThree". ''FiftyThree Support''. Archived from the original on 23 Jul 2019. Retrieved 18 Apr 2026. https://web.archive.org/web/20190723182931/https://support.fiftythree.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001141660-Pencil-by-FiftyThree]</ref> | |||
This is an early documented instance of active hardware being functionally downgraded through a software decision made by a company after acquiring the product from its original developer, without prior consumer notice or recourse. | |||
===Business model changes (''2024'')=== | ===Business model changes (''2024'')=== | ||
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*The Pro ($15/month) and Premium ($25/month) plans were combined into a single new plan, Ultimate ($25/month).<ref name="new plans" /><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Pricing |url=https://wetransfer.com/pricing |website=WeTransfer |date= |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260212183039/https://wetransfer.com/pricing |archive-date=12 Feb 2026}}</ref> | *The Pro ($15/month) and Premium ($25/month) plans were combined into a single new plan, Ultimate ($25/month).<ref name="new plans" /><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Pricing |url=https://wetransfer.com/pricing |website=WeTransfer |date= |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260212183039/https://wetransfer.com/pricing |archive-date=12 Feb 2026}}</ref> | ||
*A new "starter" plan was introduced that increased the monthly file size limit to 300GB. It was initially priced at $6.99/month but at some point prior to 2026 was increased to $10/month.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=WeTransfer’s free plan now has a monthly limit of 10 transfers |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/18/wetransfers-free-plan-now-has-a-monthly-limit-of-10-transfers/ |website=TechCrunch |date=18 Dec 2024 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | *A new "starter" plan was introduced that increased the monthly file size limit to 300GB. It was initially priced at $6.99/month but at some point prior to 2026 was increased to $10/month.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=WeTransfer’s free plan now has a monthly limit of 10 transfers |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/18/wetransfers-free-plan-now-has-a-monthly-limit-of-10-transfers/ |website=TechCrunch |date=18 Dec 2024 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260125174413/https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/18/wetransfers-free-plan-now-has-a-monthly-limit-of-10-transfers/ |archive-date=25 Jan 2026}}</ref> | ||
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===New Terms of Service attempts to change ownership of uploaded files (''2025'')=== | ===New Terms of Service attempts to change ownership of uploaded files (''2025'')=== | ||
In the new Terms of Service presented on 23 June 2025, WeTransfer originally stated that they entitle themselves to "make a profit of the files uploaded by users", starting from 8 August 2025.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Leijten |first=Jorg |title=WeTransfer krabbelt iets terug na ophef over overdragen eigendom op geüploade bestanden |trans-title=WeTransfer backs down their transfer of ownership after backlash |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/07/15/wetransfer-is-binnenkort-eigenaar-van-jouw-bestanden-en-wil-er-geld-aan-gaan-verdienen-a4900306 |website=nrc |date=15 Jul 2025 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | In the new Terms of Service presented on 23 June 2025, WeTransfer originally stated that they entitle themselves to "make a profit of the files uploaded by users", starting from 8 August 2025.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Leijten |first=Jorg |title=WeTransfer krabbelt iets terug na ophef over overdragen eigendom op geüploade bestanden |trans-title=WeTransfer backs down their transfer of ownership after backlash |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/07/15/wetransfer-is-binnenkort-eigenaar-van-jouw-bestanden-en-wil-er-geld-aan-gaan-verdienen-a4900306 |website=nrc |date=15 Jul 2025 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250717130207/https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/07/15/wetransfer-is-binnenkort-eigenaar-van-jouw-bestanden-en-wil-er-geld-aan-gaan-verdienen-a4900306 |archive-date=17 Jul 2025|language=nl}}</ref> This is in stark contrast with the Terms of Service from 2021, which states there is no right of ownership to the uploaded files.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
Further, the new Terms of Service sparked additional backlash, by the clause to "include the possibility of using AI to improve content moderation" on the uploaded files. WeTransfer updated this clause.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rahman-Jones |first=Imran |title=WeTransfer says files not used to train AI after backlash |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8mp79gyz1o |website=BBC |date=15 Jul 2025 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | Further, the new Terms of Service sparked additional backlash, by the clause to "include the possibility of using AI to improve content moderation" on the uploaded files. WeTransfer updated this clause.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rahman-Jones |first=Imran |title=WeTransfer says files not used to train AI after backlash |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8mp79gyz1o |website=BBC |date=15 Jul 2025 |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210180623/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8mp79gyz1o |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref> | ||
This was the text in section 6.3:<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=WeTransfer ToS |url=https://wetransfer.com/explore/legal/terms |website=WeTransfer |date=23 Jun 2025 |access-date=15 Jul 2025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250715070346/https://wetransfer.com/explore/legal/terms |archive-date=15 Jul 2025}}</ref> | This was the text in section 6.3:<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=WeTransfer ToS |url=https://wetransfer.com/explore/legal/terms |website=WeTransfer |date=23 Jun 2025 |access-date=15 Jul 2025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250715070346/https://wetransfer.com/explore/legal/terms |archive-date=15 Jul 2025}}</ref> | ||
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==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[Spotify Car Thing]] — another case of active hardware rendered non-functional following discontinuation of app support, similar to Pencil by FiftyThree | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||