ZDNet reports on the confusion stemming from Dropbox sharing information on academics with Northwestern University researchers. Dropbox had given the researchers data belonging to 400,000 users across 1,000 universities. The researchers first claimed Dropbox gave them raw data that was then anonymized, but the file-hosting service later released a statement claiming it had already anonymized the information before turning it over for the researchers’ project. Dropbox explained the way data was shared at the beginning of the collaboration. "The study fell within the scope of our Privacy Policy, which provides that Dropbox and its trusted third parties can analyze sharing activity to 'provide, improve, protect, and promote our Services,'" the company said in a statement.
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