Reminder from China Consumers Association: Cloud storage overdue will permanently delete storage | Consumers | Overdue
The data cloud storage method has many advantages such as strong scalability of data storage, fast transmission, and convenient calling, and is popular among consumers. However, data management after the expiration of cloud storage services has also become a new problem. Recently, some consumers have reported to the China Consumers Association that the cloud storage service they registered and used on a certain platform many years ago was deemed inactive by the platform due to not logging in for over a year, and the cloud storage files were permanently deleted, causing irreparable losses. Consumers have raised doubts about whether cloud storage service companies have fully fulfilled their disclosure obligations, the security scope of data storage, and whether there is a way to recover stored data deletion.
The China Consumers Association investigated cloud storage service applications with high download volume and active user reviews in the current mobile application market, and found that most application service agreements indicate that if no measures such as renewal are taken after the service expires, the data will be permanently deleted. The China Consumers Association hereby reminds consumers that overdue cloud storage will be permanently deleted. It is necessary to enhance data security awareness and take corresponding measures to avoid irreparable losses; Operators should also improve service quality by strengthening the effectiveness of prompts and conditionally increasing remedial measures.
1. consumers receive information about the expiration of cloud storage services, they must take action, otherwise the overdue data will be permanently deleted. Consumers should attach great importance to the overdue reminders of cloud storage service companies and save data through service renewal and backup. If you have any objection to the expiration notice of the cloud storage service, be sure to contact the cloud storage service company while properly storing the data to avoid irreparable losses after the data is permanently deleted.
2. cloud storage service companies should remind consumers in a variety of effective ways before and after the expiration of the use of consumer cloud storage services. Before and after the expiration of cloud storage services, cloud storage service companies usually prompt consumers by means of SMS or APP reminders, but some consumers still ignore or indicate that they have not received the prompt. Cloud storage service companies should innovate reminder methods, remind consumers through multiple channels, multiple means, and multiple methods. The reminder content should be more targeted, accurate and effective. When necessary, a single warning message should be made and confirmed by consumers. Consumers are encouraged to register for cloud storage services through mobile phone numbers, so that cloud storage service companies can remind consumers of service expiration through manual phone calls.
The agreement on "data security" in the service agreement signed between 3. cloud storage service companies and consumers should be significantly clear and pay attention to fairness. The cloud storage service agreement signed between the consumer and the cloud storage service company generally belongs to the format clause, and the operator shall prompt the data risk in the service agreement in a significant way, and may require the consumer to confirm it if necessary. The risk of free services is easy to be ignored by consumers. If operators have a time limit for providing free cloud storage services to consumers, they should remind consumers of the length of time to keep documents overdue and the serious consequences of not taking corresponding measures in a clear and effective way, so as to fully protect consumers' right to know and choose.
4. advocates cloud storage service companies to divide the market by classification, enrich business content, and take various measures to improve the ability to serve consumers. Cloud storage service companies should try their best to avoid using permanent deletion to process consumer data, and can retain room for remedy by restricting permissions, "snow storage" and other forms to prevent consumers from suffering irreparable losses due to negligence and other reasons. For some key issues, such as data information transfer service or retrieval function, determine whether it is an "inactive user", recharge charge extension service function or use period, etc., consumers should be informed in advance or obtain consumer consent to ensure consumers The right to know, the right to choose and the right to fair trade.
The China Consumers Association will improve the service level of cloud storage service operators through various channels such as experiential investigation and supervision and disclosure of typical problems. It will comment on bad business practices that obviously violate the principle of fairness and integrity, such as "requiring download and activation of App accounts in disguised form" or "compulsory binding to purchase expanded capacity", "permanent free service" and "time-limited preferential recharge", so as to safeguard the rights and interests of consumers in accordance with the law. At this stage, the China Consumer Association is collecting member manuals, service agreements and reminding methods of several cloud storage service companies in order to compare the schemes for storing consumer data more conveniently, the methods for reminding consumers more effectively and the contract protection clauses that are more favorable to consumers.
