Tell HN: FileStack (YC S12) is holding my data hostage

As a warning for anyone who's thinking about using Filestack.

I started using Filestack (then filepicker.io) in 2012 for my site https://fiction.live, basically as soon as it launched for file hosting. It was good for a while... then the price increases came in. The prices jacked up year over year while I was stuck in it. Then I finally had enough and left and am now using a MUCH cheaper CDN.

Now a couple of years later, I decide I want those files back. After all, they're my files and it'll be nice to have them for archival.

I email them to allow me to migrate the files away from their service and they refuse to allow me to download them unless I pay them $59.

Isn't that absolutely insane? They claim it's for "bandwidth" purposes, like 30GB of bandwidth costs $59 dollars?

It's a YC company holding my data hostage, preventing me from migrating off. Pretty sure that's extortion.

TLDR: All I want to do is to take my data and leave, but they demand payment.

3 comments

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rvz 5y ago ↗

If you value your files that much: Just pay the 'ransom'. Not my words, but the FBI's: [0]

“The easiest thing may be to just pay the ransom” - Joseph Bonavolonta, FBI

Vimeo upsold and locked in their users with the same idea and are holding some of their user's content for ransom as well. [1]

[0] https://securityledger.com/2015/10/fbis-advice-on-cryptolock...

[1] https://twitter.com/thedak/status/1395367583503851524

KaoruAoiShiho 5y ago ↗

True, and interesting to hear about Vimeo. Just being one of their early adopters and then getting this poor treatment is causing me much resentment.

sircastor 5y ago ↗

Most of the file warehouse solutions I’m familiar with do something similar. If you want your files you pay a exit fee to download it.

Also, it sounds like you haven’t paid them for a couple of years. The fact that they still have your files at all is kind of amazing. There $59 doesn’t look arbitrary. It’s their lowest tier.

I know it’s frustrating, It doesn’t seem to me that they’re acting unethical here.