Dropbox scans your storage for copyright protected content

Dropbox uses an algorithm that generates hash (which is long string of letters and digits that are a result of cryptographic hash function) that is in effect a unique id for each file that is uploaded onto Dropbox. So when the company receives a complaint such as from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) about copyright infringement by the user, the file is taken down and stopped from being shared.


One of the main worries of the users is that Dropbox is able to access and see the content of each and every file in a private folder. But the company has reiterated its stance to respect the privacy of its users. Its algorithm only creates a unique ID for users’ files and does not read the content at all.


There are two methods generally used by companies to deal with copyright infringement issues. The first is to disable or remove the file; this is used by most companies. The second is to retain the file but disable the share feature; which is what Dropbox does. Many users are now rethinking the security of cloud storage services.