Google Docs "ToS Violation' fiasco

Devil Ledbetter

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I found the first 1/4 of my WIP, which I recently put on Google Docs for beta feedback, was locked up because of it was "reported as inappropriate." Except it wasn't. I Googled around and found out this is a huge glitch that hit Docs users yesterday right after Google pushed some new code out.

But here is the thing: as of late yesterday Google was claiming they'd resolved the error. They are making similar claims today. They are lying through their teeth. My document, and by the looks of things surfing around the internet and Google help forums, thousands of other users' documents, are still inaccessible because they've been automatically flagged as inappropriate.

I'm not worried about losing data because I have multiple backups. But I do think it's extremely shitty of Google to claim this is "fixed" when they know goddamn well it's still affecting thousands of users. And I'm shocked that the tech news reporters are buying into and repeating Google's baldfaced lies.

Anyone else affected?
 

Maryn

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Luckily, no. But it does indeed seem premature to announce a fix with many users still affected by the glitch which is clearly not fully fixed.

I think today I won't brag about the relative who works there. This isn't his area anyway.
 

JDlugosz

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Poor folks who actually use Google Docs for primary working files…
 

Maryn

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Good point. I'm never a fan of working from an online source, strongly preferring to work on my own device, but there are many who disagree, or who must work that way. I know of collaborating partners in different parts of the country/world who must be paralyzed by this.
 

Devil Ledbetter

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It works really well for beta readers because it allows them to comment, see each other's comments, and doesn't require the same or similar word processing programs. Google's help desk responded to me about 18 hours ago, and I replied that the file was still locked up. I've not heard from them since, though they continue to claim the problem is "fixed."
 

Summonere

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The school in which I work dropped Apple products and went wholeheartedly Google for the past two years. I use a Chromebook in class for students with dysgraphia and other issues affecting their ability to write. Google docs has been inaccessible enough times to make that an iffy and unreliable -- I'll say that again, unreliable -- product. Yes, most of the time it probably works, but I don't need it most of the time. When I have needed it, it hasn't worked when I needed it. Thus I don't rely upon it.

Also, I absolutely detest "cloud computing." That's like parking my car in someone else's garage and only getting to drive it when they agree. Or, in my analogical tale, when they are home.
 

Jason

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Don't get me wrong, I love my Google docs, as well as my Dropbox, and Box accounts - none of which I pay for...

Yup, I've got like 60GB of online storage for free...but that comes with a LTBB (let the buyer beware) warning - free means exactly that - you get what you pay for. Willing to bet owners of corporate google docs accounts (search admin.google.com ) and you'll see that paid storage has its own set of perks