Connect with us

Technology

The best free sites for sharing photos and videos with your family

Published

on

The best free sites for sharing photos and videos with your family

In a world where every moment is captured, the question isn’t just about taking photos and videos. It’s about sharing them with those who matter most. Kim from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, echoes a common concern: How can a family share digital memories, both past gatherings and present moments, in a way that’s secure, private and shareable? Here’s her question to us:

“My extended family wants to find a way to share lots of photos and videos (from days of older and also when we gather). We are hoping to find a free site, and a site that won’t be pervasive or have dangerous privacy policies. We would like everyone in our family to have access to upload into their own folders that they can name, and everyone in the family to download them.” — Kim, Tinton Falls, New Jersey

Kim’s dilemma is one many families face. They seek a platform that’s free, non-invasive and respectful of privacy. A virtual space where each family member can contribute to their personalized folders, with the freedom to download cherished memories at will. Ideally, this platform would empower users to set expiration dates on their shared content, ensuring their digital footprints don’t linger indefinitely in the cloud.

Here are some recommended solutions that meet Kim’s criteria for privacy, security and ease of use for family photo sharing.

GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS – SIGN UP FOR KURT’S NEWSLETTER – THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE

Advertisement

A family photo  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Private and free photo-sharing platforms

1. Google Photos

  • Free Storage: 15 GB shared across Google services.
  • Features: Automatic organization, shared albums and smart search.
  • Privacy: Google has robust privacy policies, but users should review and adjust their privacy settings as needed.
  • How to Use: Create a shared album and invite family members to contribute. Each member can upload photos and videos to their own folders within the album.
  • Note: There have been concerns about Google’s data collection practices and privacy policies. If you are concerned about data privacy, you should consider alternative storage solutions.

How to set up Google Photos

  • Install the Google Photos app from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iOS).
  • Open the app and sign in with your Google Account.

How to create a shared Google Photos album

  • Navigate to the “Photos” tab.
  • Tap on the “Library” tab, then “New album.”
  • Select the photos and videos you want to include in the album.
  • Tap on the “Share” button, then select “Create shared album”.
  • Enter the email addresses of the family members you want to invite. They will receive an invitation to join the album.

Google photos app  (Google)

2. Dropbox

  • Free Storage: 2 GB.
  • Features: File syncing, easy sharing and a mobile app.
  • Privacy: Strong security features, including two-factor authentication.
  • How to Use: Create a shared folder and invite family members. Members can upload and organize their photos and videos in personal subfolders.

How to set up Dropbox

  • Install the Dropbox app from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iOS), or download the desktop application from the Dropbox website.
  • Open the app and sign in with your Dropbox account or create a new account if you don’t have one.

How to upload files

  • Launch the Dropbox app or desktop application.
  • Click on the “Upload” button. Select the photos or videos you want to upload from your device.

How to create a shared folder

  • In the Dropbox app or desktop application, click on “New folder”.
  • Give the folder a name that is easily recognizable for all family members.
  • Right-click on the folder and select “Share” or use the share icon.
  • Enter the email addresses of the family members you want to invite. They will receive an invitation to join the folder.

How to organize files

  • Within the shared folder, create subfolders for each family member. This helps in organizing the photos and videos.
  • Each family member can upload their photos and videos to their respective subfolders.

Dropbox website and app  (Dropbox)

3. Box

  • Free Storage: 10 GB.
  • Features: Collaboration tools and secure sharing options.
  • Privacy: High-level security and compliance with various privacy regulations.
  • How to Use: Set up a shared folder for the family. Each member can create and manage their own subfolders.

How to set up Box

  • Go to the Box website and sign up for a free account if you don’t already have one.
  • Install the Box app from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iOS), or download the desktop application from the Box website.

How to upload files

  • Launch the Box app or desktop application.
  • Click on the “Upload” button. Select the photos or videos you want to upload from your device.

How to create a shared folder

  • In the Box app or desktop application, click on “New” and then “Folder.”
  • Give the folder a name that is easily recognizable for all family members.
  • Right-click (or click the ellipsis (…)) on the folder and select “Share” from the More Options menu.
  • Enter the email addresses of the family members you want to invite. They will receive an invitation to join the folder.

How to organize files

  • Within the shared folder, create subfolders for each family member. This helps in organizing the photos and videos.
  • Each family member can upload their photos and videos to their respective subfolders.

Box website and app  (Box)

While these solutions directly address Kim’s needs for family photo sharing, it’s also worth considering device-specific options and additional cloud storage services. These can complement your chosen family-sharing platform or provide alternative solutions depending on your devices and preferences. Also, with the solutions of sharing with family members, you should be aware of the need to increase storage space if needed. 

▶️SUBSCRIBE TO KURT’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICES

Device-specific and cloud storage options

The solution you choose may also depend on the devices your family uses. Whether you’re an Apple owner, have an Android device or use a mix of both, there are options tailored to your needs. Let’s explore some device-specific and cloud-storage solutions:

Advertisement

Photo logos  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Photography tools

Apple iCloud offers a free tier with 5 GB of storage, featuring seamless integration, automatic backup and shared albums. Paid tiers include 50 GB for $0.99 per month, 200 GB for $2.99 per month, and 2 TB for $9.99 per month.

Google Photos provides an unlimited free tier at limited resolution, with smart search, automatic organization and shared albums. Google One plans offer 15 GB for free with various paid pricing options.

Amazon Prime Photos is included with an Amazon Prime subscription and offers unlimited full-resolution storage and family sharing. For a fee, Amazon Photos provides additional storage options.

CAN AI MAKE PHOTOS OF YOU LOOK BETTER THAN YOU DO IN REAL LIFE?

Advertisement

Maximize your mobile storage on iOS/iPhone

With iCloud Photos, you can make more space available on your device and still have access to your entire full-resolution collection wherever you go. To get started with iCloud Photos:

  • Tap Settings
  • Click your name
  • Then click iCloud 
  • Next, tap Photos
  • Tap Sync this iPhone. In iOS 15 or earlier, tap to turn on iCloud Photos.
  • Select Optimize iPhone Storage to save space on your device.

When Optimize Storage is turned on, full-resolution photos and videos are stored in iCloud, and space-saving copies are stored on your device when needed. As long as you have enough space in iCloud, you can store as many photos and videos as you want.

If you need more storage

  • When you sign up for iCloud, you automatically get 5 GB of free storage. If you need more, you can upgrade to iCloud+.
  • If you need more storage on your device, you can transfer the photos and videos that you don’t want to store in iCloud to your computer.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE U.S. NEWS

IPad and iphone using iCloud  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET 

Maximize your mobile storage on Android

 Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

  • On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos app
  • Sign in to your Google Account
  • At the top right, tap your Profile picture or Initial
  • Tap Photos settings
  • Then click Backup
  • Under “Settings,” tap Back up device folders.
  • Select the folders you want to back up.

Cloud storage

Dropbox offers 2 GB of free storage with features like file syncing, easy sharing and a mobile app. It also has paid plans such as Plus, which provides 2 TB for $9.99 per month, and a family plan that offers a shared 2 TB for $16.99 per month.

Box provides 10 GB of free storage and includes collaboration tools and secure sharing options. It offers business plans that come with more storage and additional features.

Advertisement

IDrive gives you 5 GB for free and is designed for backing up multiple devices, along with file versioning. Its personal plans include 2 TB of storage for $69.50 per year. 

Photo services

Flickr allows users to store up to 1,000 photos or videos for free and is known for its community and photo organization features. It offers a pro subscription with unlimited storage for $7.99 per month.

500px permits only limited uploads for free users but is a platform dedicated to the photography community and includes portfolio features. Its Awesome plan is priced at $6.49 per month, and the Pro plan is available for $12.99 per month.

SAY IT WITH PHOTOS: THE BEST DIGITAL PHOTO FRAMES

Kurt’s key takeaways

These days, sharing family memories securely is both a challenge and a necessity. For Kim and families like hers, platforms such as Google Photos, Dropbox and Box offer free, secure solutions that balance privacy with ease of use. While device-specific options provide seamless integration, cloud services ensure cross-platform accessibility. Remember to regularly review privacy settings, use strong passwords and consider the 3-2-1 backup rule for your precious memories. By choosing the right platform and following best practices, you can create a private, shared digital space to cherish your moments together, both past and present.

Advertisement

What challenges or benefits have you experienced in trying to balance convenience, privacy and meaningful connection when sharing photos and videos with loved ones? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover

Follow Kurt on his social channels

Advertisement

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

Advertisement

Technology

Apple is going high-end with new ‘Ultra’ products next

Published

on

Apple is going high-end with new ‘Ultra’ products next

Fresh off launching the low-cost MacBook Neo, Apple is reportedly preparing at least three new products that will fit into its highest-end “ultra” lineup. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gruman, the next batch of releases may not bear the “ultra” name, like its Watch, but will all command price premiums over their mainline counterparts.

There’s the oft-rumored foldable iPhone, which is expected to cost around $2,000, and a touchscreen MacBook Pro is supposedly slated for the fall. Those are pretty straightforward plays for the higher end of the market. More interesting are the next-gen AirPods, which are rumored to include cameras to feed visual context to Siri. Since AirPods already use the Pro and Max branding, similar to Apple Silicon, a set of AirPods Ultra could very well be on the docket.

Between the Neo and multiple foldables in the works, it seems that Apple is simultaneously trying to go further up- and down-market.

Continue Reading

Technology

Meta smart glasses privacy concerns grow

Published

on

Meta smart glasses privacy concerns grow

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Smart glasses promise a future where technology blends into everyday life. You can ask a question, snap a quick video or identify what you are looking at in seconds. It sounds convenient. However, a new investigation suggests the experience may come with a privacy tradeoff many users never expected.

According to an investigation by Swedish newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten, contractors reviewing AI data in Nairobi, Kenya, may have seen highly personal footage captured by Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses. In some cases, the videos reportedly showed bathroom visits, sexual activity and other intimate moments.

The allegations have already sparked legal action and renewed debate about how AI systems are trained.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg sported a pair of Meta Ray-Ban Display AI glasses while speaking at an event in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 17, 2025. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Advertisement

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter     

Report claims Meta smart glasses captured private moments

The investigation focused on people who work as AI annotators. These workers review images, video or audio so artificial intelligence systems can better understand what they are processing. In simple terms, they help train the AI. Workers interviewed for the report said they sometimes review video captured by Meta’s smart glasses. According to the investigation, the footage can include extremely personal scenes recorded in everyday environments. One annotator told reporters they see everything from living rooms to naked bodies. Another worker said faces are supposed to be blurred automatically in the footage. However, the blurring reportedly fails at times, leaving some identities visible. In some clips, workers also said they could see credit cards or other sensitive details.

Why human reviewers analyze Meta smart glasses data

Many people assume AI systems learn entirely on their own. In reality, human reviewers often play a major role in training them. AI annotators help label what appears in images, identify spoken words and verify whether an AI response is correct. Without that human input, the system struggles to improve. Meta’s smart glasses include an AI assistant that answers questions about what a user is seeing. For example, a wearer might ask the glasses to identify a landmark or explain what an object is. To make those answers accurate, the system sometimes relies on training data reviewed by humans.

Meta responds to smart glasses privacy concerns

Meta says media captured by its smart glasses remains on the user’s device unless the user chooses to share it.

A Meta spokesperson provided the following statement to CyberGuy:

Advertisement

Ray-Ban Meta glasses help you use AI, hands free, to answer questions about the world around you. Unless users choose to share media they’ve captured with Meta or others, that media stays on the user’s device. When people share content with Meta AI, we sometimes use contractors to review this data for the purpose of improving people’s experience, as many other companies do. We take steps to filter this data to protect people’s privacy and to help prevent identifying information from being reviewed.”

Ray-Ban Meta glasses include an LED indicator light that activates whenever photos or videos are recorded, helping signal to people nearby that content is being captured. The company’s terms of service also state that users are responsible for following applicable laws and using the glasses in a safe and respectful manner. That includes avoiding activities such as harassment, infringing on privacy rights or recording sensitive information.

Meta has also been in contact with Sama, a company that provides AI data annotation services. According to information shared by Meta, Sama said it is not aware of workflows where sexual or objectionable content is reviewed or where faces or sensitive details remain consistently unblurred. Meta is continuing to investigate the matter.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 31, 2024, to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee alongside other social media executives. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Privacy policy changes added to the concern

The controversy arises as Meta has expanded the capabilities of its AI glasses. The glasses, created with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica, include a camera and an AI assistant that responds to voice questions. Sales have surged. The company reportedly sold more than 7 million pairs in 2025, a dramatic increase compared with earlier years. At the same time, Meta updated its privacy policies. One change keeps the AI camera features active unless users turn off the Hey Meta voice command. Another removes the ability to opt out of storing voice recordings in the cloud. For privacy advocates, those changes make the investigation more troubling.

Advertisement

FACIAL RECOGNITION GLASSES TURN EVERYDAY LIFE INTO CREEPY PRIVACY NIGHTMARE

What this means to you

If you use smart glasses or similar wearable technology, the report highlights an important reality. AI devices often collect more information than people realize. When people share content with AI systems, human reviewers may analyze that material to help improve the technology. That means the footage captured by your device may be seen by someone else during the training process. Wearable cameras also record everyday life, which makes it easy for private or sensitive moments to be captured unintentionally. Even when companies use tools to blur faces or hide identifying details, those systems do not always work perfectly. As a result, personal information can sometimes still appear in the footage. Privacy policies also evolve as companies roll out new AI features. Staying aware of those updates can help you decide how comfortable you are with the technology you are using.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com       

Mark Zuckerberg wears the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses while speaking at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 17, 2025. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Smart glasses are quickly moving from novelty to everyday gadget. The idea of having AI help you understand the world around you is undeniably appealing. However, the same technology that makes these devices powerful also raises complicated privacy questions. Cameras that are always within reach, AI systems that learn from real-world footage and human reviewers who help train those systems create a chain of data that many users rarely think about. As smart wearables become more common, transparency about how that data is used will matter more than ever.

Advertisement

So here is the bigger question. Would you feel comfortable wearing AI glasses if someone halfway around the world might review the footage your device captures? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter 

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.  

Advertisement

Related Article

Meta unveils new AR glasses with heart rate monitoring
Continue Reading

Technology

Listen to this: Mabe Fratti’s experimental cello pop

Published

on

Listen to this: Mabe Fratti’s experimental cello pop

The opening notes of “Kravitz”, which kicks off Mabe Fratti’s 2024 record Sentir Que No Sabes, are lodged in my brain permanently. It’s not a showy album, by any means. But there’s something about the buzzing of her cello, plucked as you might an upright bass. The way they ring out before coming to an abrupt stop, fuzz still hanging in the air, set against a simple kick and snare sat firmly in the pocket. There’s something industrial about the way it all comes together, like a jazzy “Closer.”

Then come Fratti’s paranoid lyrics in Spanish about ears in the ceiling and someone listening through the walls, and the slightly atonal horn blasts. In the back half, the arrangement blooms with big piano chords, and the drums pick up steam. It’s the perfect opening to a record that sees Fratti taking her experimental impulses and working them into something that more closely resembles pop music, straying further from her avant-garde roots.

Fratti was born in Guatemala, but operates out of Mexico. She’s told Pitchfork that, as a child, her parents mostly played Christian and classical music around the house. But as a teen, she discovered Limewire and the works of experimental composers like György Ligeti. This more expansive, internet-fed musical diet is on display in tracks like “Pantalla Azul.” It flits about, toying with various styles from goth rock to new age, but always coming back to the strength of Fratti’s melodic instincts. Meanwhile, “Oidos” leans fully into chamber pop, with echoed cello stabs, plaintive trumpet, and what sounds like an autoharp.

Even when the arrangements are stripped down, Sentir Que No Sabes sounds lush and enveloping. It would feel equally at home in a coffee shop or on an arena stage. The production from I. La Católica (Héctor Tosta) is the glue holding together Fratti’s frantic stylistic shifts and jagged cello manipulations. It would be easy for the delicate horns, atonal pizzicato strings, and icy digital synths to sound like several different albums stitched together haphazardly. Instead, the undercurrent of unease and lightly crushed drums form a thread tying all the disparate pieces together.

That’s not to say there aren’t moments of full-on experimental freakouts. Fratti indulges her more abstract musical inclinations on interludes like “Elástica” I and II, but the brilliance of Sentir Que No Sabes is in how it repackages her experimental instincts into something more approachable and downright catchy at times.

Advertisement

A comparison often thrown around when discussing Fratti’s music is Arthur Russell, and it makes sense. Russel was also an avant-garde cellist with surprising pop instincts. But he rarely married those two sides of his music as directly as Fratti does. For the most part, he had pop songs, and he had experimental compositions. Over her last few albums, both as a solo artist and as one half of the duo Titanic, Mabe Fratti has sought to break down those walls.

Continue Reading

Trending