Category: Privacy / Software

AI is everywhere. But recently, a new fear has unlocked for creatives: Is the software I'm using to edit my personal or client footage secretly feeding it into an AI model?

It’s a valid concern. We’ve all seen the headlines about companies scraping the internet to train their bots. But when it comes to your private video projects—wedding films, corporate NDAs, or personal memories—you need to know your data is safe.

Here is the truth about which video editors are "safe" and which ones you should be careful with.

The Rule of Thumb: "If It's Free (and Cloud-Based), You Are the Product"

Many free, web-based, or mobile editing apps have Terms of Service that are notoriously vague. If you are uploading your footage to their cloud server to process it, there is a higher chance that data could be used for "product improvement" (a fancy word for AI training).

Red Flags:

• The editor runs entirely in a web browser.

• You must be connected to the internet to use it.

• It offers "magical" AI features that process your video on their servers.

The Safe Zone: Professional "Offline" NLEs

The good news is that the industry-standard software is generally safe. Why? Because their business model is selling you the software, not selling your data.

1. DaVinci Resolve & Blackmagic Cloud Blackmagic Design has been very vocal about this. They have stated that they do not use your footage to train generative AI models. Even their new AI tools (Neural Engine) generally run locally on your machine, not in the cloud.

2. Adobe Premiere Pro After a massive public outcry over a Terms of Service update, Adobe clarified that they do not use your content stored locally or in the cloud to train their Firefly AI models. They train their AI on Adobe Stock images, not your private projects.

3. Avid Media Composer The standard for Hollywood. Studios have strict security protocols. Avid does not scrape your timeline to train bots.

The "Paranoid" Option: Open Source Software

If you want 100% certainty that no data is leaving your computer, go Open Source. These programs are built by communities, not corporations, and the code is public.

• Shotcut: Totally free, runs offline.

• Kdenlive: Powerful, open-source, and privacy-focused.

Summary

You don't have to go back to splicing film tape to keep your footage private. Stick to professional, locally-installed software like DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro, or use Open Source tools like Shotcut. Avoid uploading sensitive footage to "free" cloud-based AI video generators unless you've read the fine print.