Google Drive, the search giant's cloud storage service that competes with services such as Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive, literally owns the files of users. Not surprisingly, Google has come under scrutiny because it can effectively do anything it likes with the files.

When using SkyDrive or Dropbox, users retain the rights to files that are uploaded. However, Google Drive owns the files, which could be damaging for Google even though the company has the popularity of Google Docs to set it apart from other cloud services.

"When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those returning from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.

"The rights that you grant in the licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps)," the Google terms of use reads.

Google basically says that it can do whatever it likes with content users upload, without asking for permission.

Though while the majority of consumers won't even know about the terms, professionals who rely on creative work might be worried their portfolio could become Google's property.

Google Drive was announced on Tuesday, April 24. As rumoured, the service is offering the first 5GB of storage free per account. Thereafter, additional storage costs $2.49 per account for 25GB a month and up to $49.99 per month for 1TB (1000GB).

Google Drive is available for Windows, Mac, the Google Chrome OS and Android devices. An iOS version will arrive in the coming weeks.

Dropbox is the current leader in cloud storage, gaining 50 million users since 2007 and raising $257 million. The company said its users collectively store 1 billion files every two days. The service offers 2GB of storage for free initially.

(reported by Jonathan Charles, edited by Dave Clark)