𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀. 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

Woke up to discover Gemini automatically scraping through my Gmail, attachments, documents. No opt-in I can remember. No GDPR-style consent flow. Just...on by default.

This isn't just Google anymore. WeTransfer, Vimeo, Dropbox–platforms I've trusted since 2010 with private client work, confidential communications, years of creative projects–are quietly pivoting to "AI training data providers" without meaningful consultation or compensation.

𝗙𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. I've been with Vimeo and Dropbox since 2010. Built my entire creative workflow around these platforms. And now I have to migrate thousands of files, restructure my entire pipeline, because the rules changed without warning.

It's honestly sad to see things end this way.

Here's how to lock down your Gmail from Gemini (for now):

 1. Gmail Settings → See all settings → Chat and Meet

 2. Disable "Smart Compose" and "Smart Reply"

 3. Settings → General → "Smart features and personalization"

 4. Uncheck both personalization options

 5. Google Account → Data & Privacy → Web & App Activity → Turn off (nuclear option)

But here's the real question I'm wrestling with:

What platforms actually guarantee privacy from AI scraping/training across:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗜 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴?

 • 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹: Proton, Tutanota (encrypted), Apple iCloud Mail (doesn't train on user data), Microsoft Outlook (claims protection but opaque opt-outs) | Gmail ❌

 • 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲: Sync.com ($4.80/mo, 2TB, zero-knowledge), Tresorit (Swiss, $19-27/mo), Internxt (blockchain, $3.60/mo, 3TB)

 • 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Spotlightr ($15/mo, encrypted), PeerTube (self-hosted), SproutVideo

 • 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: Brave, Firefox + uBlock Origin, DuckDuckGo

 • 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹: Mastodon (federated, tiny network effects) | Mainstream platforms all train on your content

Without retreating into insular blockchain channels or fringe services

𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. Years of client projects. Thousands of video files. Workflows built over 15 years. But after the Getty v. Stability AI ruling and building my own three-tier AI safety framework, this isn't optional anymore.

We need mainstream, interoperable alternatives that respect privacy as a default, not as a premium upsell. The "Satoshi Nakamoto approach" worked for decentralized currency. Where's that energy for decentralized, private infrastructure?

Right now, the choice seems to be: accept surveillance capitalism or become a digital hermit.

What are you using? 

What actually works? 

Has anyone else made this migration?

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