Dropbox: Surveillance Profile
A detailed look at how Dropbox collects, stores, and uses your personal data.
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Privacy Score
Poor
Dropbox's privacy score of 32/100 reflects their data collection practices, transparency, incident history, and user control options. This score indicates significant privacy concerns that users should be aware of.
Data Collected
Known Incidents
In 2012, a Dropbox employee's stolen password led to a breach affecting 68 million accounts, though the full extent was not disclosed until 2016 when the hashed credentials surfaced on the dark web.
A 2014 Snowden document revealed Dropbox was among companies that did not encrypt data in a way that prevented government access, with critics including Edward Snowden calling it 'hostile to privacy.'
In 2023, Dropbox Sign (formerly HelloSign) suffered a breach where attackers accessed customer email addresses, usernames, phone numbers, hashed passwords, and API keys through a compromised service account.
Dropbox faced controversy in 2021 over its aggressive data collection through its desktop app, which requested full disk access on macOS, accessing far more system data than needed for file syncing.
In 2013, Dropbox was found to bypass iOS security by storing authentication credentials in an unencrypted format that persisted even after app deletion, allowing unauthorized access to user accounts.
How to Opt Out
To reduce Dropbox's data collection, start by going to dropbox.com, clicking your avatar, and navigating to Settings > General. Under 'Preferences,' review and disable marketing emails and product suggestions. Under the 'Security' tab, review all linked devices and web sessions, removing any you do not recognize. Enable two-factor authentication for added security. Under 'Connected Apps,' review and disconnect any third-party applications that have access to your Dropbox data. Go to 'Notifications' and disable all non-essential notifications to reduce engagement tracking. On the desktop app, go to Preferences > Account and consider using Selective Sync to limit which folders sync to your device, reducing the data Dropbox processes. If you use Dropbox on macOS, review System Preferences > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and consider removing Dropbox's full disk access if you do not need smart sync features. Disable camera uploads to prevent automatic photo syncing. Do not use Dropbox's document scanning features. Be aware that Dropbox can access your unencrypted files on its servers. While Dropbox encrypts files in transit and at rest, Dropbox holds the encryption keys, meaning employees or law enforcement with a valid warrant can access your content. For sensitive files, encrypt them before uploading using tools like Cryptomator or VeraCrypt. Better yet, migrate to Proton Drive, which offers end-to-end encryption where only you hold the keys, or set up a self-hosted Nextcloud instance. Before closing your Dropbox account, download all your data, revoke all shared links, empty your trash to ensure deleted files are purged, and then request account deletion through settings. Uninstall the desktop and mobile apps completely to stop local data collection.
Private Alternative
Looking for a privacy-respecting alternative to Dropbox? We recommend:
Proton DriveDropbox Surveillance by City
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