Remove fake file activity when not logged in

[DoctorDada]

After I upload a file to Dropbox for others to download, the recipients (without Dropbox accounts) open the link and see, under “Activity”: “Patricia Johnson downloaded this file” and “Anthony Abate viewed this file”:

Apparently, this is supposed to be just an example of what file activity would look like if one were signed in to the account. However, it’s not obvious that this is the case, and has (understandably) caused concern for those who believe their privacy has been breached.

Please remove this “feature”.

[Walter]

This idea has been closed as it has reached the end of the Share an Idea process.

Thank you for your suggestion, and if you have another idea to share, please do! 

[havoksage]

This is incredibly misleading. I shared a file, only to have the person question whether or not it was shared with multiple people. 

Then I realized it was just an Image for advertising purposes: 
https://cfl.dropboxstatic.com/static/images/file_viewer/logged_out_prompt/pass-vflN-IxKG.png 

It's simply that this preset image is baked into every single file page when you're not logged in. It's really terrible UI design at best, or at worst an attempt to scare people into signing in/signing up to make sure the files they shared aren't being seen by random people. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg of new dropbox UI problems. They really need to hire someone else before the business fails. I've already seen a ton of big projects moving to one drive and pcloud, because they are much better holistic systems that are more secure and less money grabbing. 

[discodelphia]

We sent a client private files and they were very upset to see someone they didn't know had downloaded their files. This 'feature' is going to get someone sued.

[Grumblegrumble]

Very concerned about this also. Please remove. (And thank you original poster!)

[JulianLiurette]

A client just messaged me asking me who Patricia Johnson and Anthony Abate were and why they had viewed/downloaded the video files. I had to send my client the explanation from Dropbox. This is very confusing for people who receive links to files we share with them. Please remove this or clarify it. Thank you!

[miltensalata]

Because of this "sales" tactic, we can no longer send clients files via Dropbox links. It immediately leads every client to question the safety and security of the data being shared. Follow up conversations that attempt to explain that: "No, the file wasn't really downloaded or viewed; it's just a case of terrible user interface and messaging" cost time and money and tend not to alleviate all of the concerns, anyway.

[JonathanCooper]

A number of you seem to agree with my complaint about this “feature” but, as far as I can see, no one has actually voted for it.

[sggale1955]

I stongly agree.  I am just starting to use DropBox to share files for a history society, and got a panicky email from one of my members saying that a file I had shared had been viewed by two unknown people.  It took me a while to establish that this was not in fact the case, and now I have an uphill struggle to persuade people that DropBox is not hopelessly insecure.  This is a dreadful, dreadful feature that should be removed immediately - it is bad for DropBox users and it is bad for DropBox's own reputation.

[Walter]

Thank you for your idea, while we can’t take every idea forward we do regularly re-review and will update you if anything changes!

[Walter]

This idea has been closed as it has reached the end of the Share an Idea process.

Thank you for your suggestion, and if you have another idea to share, please do!