mlkddk Loc: Colorado

As an avid family activity photographer, I sometimes use my cell phone to take family pictures. Some of my pictures disappeared. My cell phone provider found them for me on Google photos. First problem. I never signed up for my photos to be stored on Google. Second problem. My photos are now being held hostage on Google. How do I get my photos off of Google and how do I stop the seemingly automatic downloading of my photos to Google? Cell phone provider said they could all be downloaded but there is no option to pull the photos out of Google that I can find.

Thanks
Mark

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Welcome to the Millenium where everything gets sucked into the Cloud when you're not paying attention.

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

Google has been in trouble several times for not telling people what they are going to do with your files and info! That is why I will not use Google Chrome or have any kind of Google acct.

Bill_de Loc: US

Maybe a good place to start would be to contact Google.

https://support.google.com/photos/?hl=en#topic=6128818

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JD750 Loc: SoCal

I would suggest taking a hammer and bashing that cell phone into tiny bits. it’s a good start.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Why don't you start by going to your computer and signing into google photos with your google user name and password, assuming your user name is some form of @gmail.com. If you can access them, you should be able to download them.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

Also, if you have an Android device, and you set your phone up to back up all your photos, contacts, etc... that was YOU that authorized Google to put them in Photos. I know I had to specifically select the folders on my phone that would be backed up in this manner.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Select the photo(s), then Shift+D will do it.

SS319

Face it, Cameras are like guns! It was not you that shot those pictures, it was your camera and the Google Android operating system. They own those pictures not you and they will tellyou when and how you can see the photos their OS took.

You REALLY thought you took those pictures?

anotherview Loc: California

Somewhere in the fine print, you will find that Google has laid claim to your photos when you use the Google software. Google then uses your photos in furtherance of its business model. Google monetizes your photos but without compensation to you, the creator of them. I found this unwanted arrangement in software I bought for tagging my photos with GPS locations. The fine print (using weasel words) said Google would attach my photos to these locations and make these attached photos available to others who viewed that location, but without attribution and without compensation to me, the user, the creator. So I stopped using that Google pirate software.

I'd appreciate hearing from others with experience using GPS software that excludes a connection to Google to use and monetize my photos.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I have that automatic feature on my cell phone, but not on Google Photos, and I'm glad I don't. I upload only what I want. I'll be interested in see how that's happening to you.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Right. I can upload, download, and delete anything to and from Google Photos, but nothing has ever uploaded itself automatically.

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

I of course think google search is great. Have stayed away from anything else google. I saw my daughters photos on google didn’t like program. Just got notice from LinkedIn that I didn’t have all of my contacts
Loaded into LinkedIn. I always reject any download contact requests. I have no clouds loaded with my
work or personal creative. I have a few photos in iCloud. Apple has decided with the inferior photos to create albums and events grouping on photos. Never wanted this. They just did it.
I am very open not paranoid. I do know google has collected searches for years. Apple just said they will stop sampling their Siri help requests recording what I do. I have Comcast in my new place and had it in my last house in FL. No choice best option. I know Comcast has been saving all our data and selling it.
The last thought is not about google. This is IMPORTANT.

I moved back to PA 2 weeks ago and went for plates and a transfer license. Found had to get
License before I could get new plates. What if I owned a car but only my wife could drive it?
Went for license-had FL license titles to cars online said you needed personal ID Social Security
Card. I brought my titles, SS 1099 statement letters from IRS Medicare card. No good need a SS card.
This is at PennDot MV offices. Got different answers from 2 different offices.
Finally went to SS office waited as I had at all these places for a long time.
I will get a card in the mail in a couple of weeks. Have not had a SS card in 40 years.
What is going on! Washington is doing a full court press to ID Americans.
You can guess why it is in the news everyday, 1984 in 2019.

anotherview Loc: California

Prepare yourself. The Real ID is coming. It will bring a higher level of identification of the individual citizen.
Here in the State of California, the Department of Motor Vehicles will process ID applications and issue the ID card.

ghill42 Loc: Colorado

Washington has been going full press on personal IDs since 9/11 made it so convenient for them to do so. In light of even much more of their deviant and ongoing shenanigans, what Google does with my photos is the least of my concerns.