So here is the issue, I use Google Drive because I am a writer who does a lot of writing. And I thought the cloud was a reliable way to store my writing, however now Google is looking through it’s to train their ai. And I’m worried about that, especially since I have written a lot of questionable content, porn and the like. What if Google Now arbitrarily decides that I’m not using Google Drive properly and bans me from the Google, that’s not good. What should I do and what alternatives can I use? Will these Alternatives still be around in like 10 years?
Others have already mentioned other cloud storage options, which are good because they both synchronize your writing and also give you a backup in case something goes wrong.
If you already have a backup solution, you could consider syncthing. It keeps folders on several different devices up to date without storing a copy in the cloud somewhere. It’s free but takes some setting up
You could also compress your files into a zip, add a password, and then store it in google drive. You can’t do online writing and it’d be a hassle to re-encrypt them each time you make a change but google wouldn’t be able to scan your docs and you could restore your writing if something goes wrong on your local computer
I’ve switched to Nextcloud. You can set up your own server, but I use some that are free. You can also encrypt files and auto sync them. I have all of my backup files auto synced to Nextcloud.
Interesting
Proton is a solid option
I backed up my Google drive, I’m going to try to delete some of the more questionable things off of it once I find a safe storage space. I have nothing that is in violation of criminal or copyright law, but I do have things that I have written, and who knows what they’re willing to cancel you over these days.
I recently got a Community strike on my YouTube channel, over a video that had been there for years, they claim that was showing support for criminal organization is. It was a reupload of an animation created by Randy Stair, with added notes asking people to seek psychiatric help if they feel they or a loved one needs it, so that people don’t end up like Randy did.
Open hearing horror stories about tiring Google accounts Frozen over the smallest of things, I don’t want to take any chances.
Syncthing. it may be confusing in the beginning, but it’s good once up and running.
Not really an expert on this … Since it’s text it’s probably not that “much” data (a few GB not TB?)? Look into 3-2-1 backup rule … E.g: Data on your computer, backed up to external USB also backed up somehwere physically different (friend’s house?) and to “the cloud” ™ . Last two should definitely be encrypted. Problem is I don’t really know any solutions that a very user friendly (only Duplicati, Rclone, restic, Veracrpypt, Nextcloud etc.).
Synology NAS systems have office software similar to Google drive. If you want something easy to work with that sits in your home, that could be your solution.
Second the synology NAS!
Third
Obsidian
It costs when you use it at work or generally in a commercial way (50€ a year)
I used Syncthing on a raspberry pi, pretty nice because its P2P so you don’t need to open ports or use VPN.