# Dropbox appoints Condoleezza Rice to their board. Do you care? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832 "2014-04-10T23:58:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/1 "2014-04-10T23:58:25Z")
On one hand Rice is a savvy and politically connected individual. She is probably a great asset to any board. On the other hand she supported many controversial Bush-era programs, and her track record on data privacy is abysmal. There is an budding movement to boycott Dropbox if she does not leave the board. Your thoughts? If you are a Dropbox user, would you leave because of this? Or maybe even start paying them more, if you agree with this choice? ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/2 "2014-04-11T00:00:37Z")
It … concerns me, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/3 "2014-04-11T00:10:17Z")
Why would a political science / policy strategist be involved in a computer tech field? IIRC correctly Rice expertise was in Soviet studies and policy. She’s an academic and former Provost at Stanford. She’s a former Secretary of State. Where did she suddenly acquire any technical skills in computers or Internet Apps? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/4 "2014-04-11T00:16:07Z")
No idea what qualifications she has that makes her attractive to Dropbox, but otherwise I have no issue. And I would say that if people are going to start boycotting companies run by Republicans, they’re going to have to start getting used to living off the land and building makeshift shelters out of bark. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/5 "2014-04-11T00:17:52Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Why would a political science / policy strategist be involved in a computer tech field? IIRC correctly Rice expertise was in Soviet studies and policy. She’s an academic and former Provost at Stanford. She’s a former Secretary of State. > > Where did she suddenly acquire any technical skills in computers or Internet Apps? Basically, they want to expand further internationally and they want somebody to help them navigate international privacy concerns. [Businessweek says](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-09/dropboxs-next-chapter-corporate-customers-ipo-condi-rice-and-eddie-vedder#p3): > [@](#): > > Dropbox has also added a prominent fourth member to a board of directors that Houston has until now kept small—Condoleezza Rice. The former secretary of state’s consulting firm, RiceHadleyGates, has been advising the startup on management issues for the last year. Now she’ll help the company think about such matters as international expansion and privacy, an issue that dogs every cloud company in the age of Edward Snowden and the NSA. “As a country, we are having a great national conversation and debate about exactly how to manage privacy concerns,” Rice says about her new position. “I look forward to helping Dropbox navigate it.” Dropbox’s [official press release](https://blog.dropbox.com/2014/04/growing-our-leadership-team/): > [@](#): > > Finally, we’re proud to welcome Dr. Condoleezza Rice to our Board of Directors. When looking to grow our board, we sought out a leader who could help us expand our global footprint. Dr. Rice has had an illustrious career as Provost of Stanford University, board member of companies like Hewlett Packard and Charles Schwab, and former United States Secretary of State. We’re honored to be adding someone as brilliant and accomplished as Dr. Rice to our team. Personally, I feel like this is appointing a genocidal war criminal to head your human rights commission, but hey, what do I know about international business. I’m sure she knows her stuff regarding international privacy concerns, and would likely be able to convince many foreign companies and governments to trust Dropbox because if they don’t, we’re going to know everything about them anyway. IMO her basic function is teaching Dropbox “This is how you play dirty”. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/6 "2014-04-11T01:18:55Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > No idea what qualifications she has that makes her attractive to Dropbox, but otherwise I have no issue. And I would say that if people are going to start boycotting companies run by Republicans, they’re going to have to start getting used to living off the land and building makeshift shelters out of bark. I’d want to at least find successful Republicans. Rice’s qualifications are she was a top adviser in the Bush administration on national security and foreign relations. That’s like being the guy who was in charge of steering the Titanic. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/7 "2014-04-11T01:26:27Z")
I’m not concerned. She’s there to help them open up International markets. Her political views shouldn’t matter. Theres no reason Dropbox would start eavesdropping just because she’s been brought in. That kind of mindset would need to exist already. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/8 "2014-04-11T01:45:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m not concerned. She’s there to help them open up International markets. Her political views shouldn’t matter. My guess is that part of the concern is that her track record of international dealings informs what sort of deals/concessions Dropbox will make in other countries in the name of the company. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/9 "2014-04-11T01:54:44Z")
The Board has next-to-nothing to do with the running of a company, other than rubber stamp the CEO’s policies (as long as it’s making money). She’ll show up four times a year, do nothing, and collect her fee. It really doesn’t matter who’s on the board. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/10 "2014-04-11T02:00:20Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > She’ll show up four times a year, do nothing, and collect her fee. It really doesn’t matter who’s on the board. I just want to point out that I also am qualified to do this AND available, if anyone needs to fill a position on their board. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/11 "2014-04-11T02:24:23Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Board has next-to-nothing to do with the running of a company, other than rubber stamp the CEO’s policies (as long as it’s making money). She’ll show up four times a year, do nothing, and collect her fee. It really doesn’t matter who’s on the board. That certainly is the case sometimes. It might even be the case most of the time. But it is not the case all the time. Do you have some special insight into Dropbox’s board and how it works? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/12 "2014-04-11T04:00:51Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Board has next-to-nothing to do with the running of a company, other than rubber stamp the CEO’s policies (as long as it’s making money). She’ll show up four times a year, do nothing, and collect her fee. It really doesn’t matter who’s on the board. Irrelevant. I refuse to be in any way associated with any company that employs that bitch in any fashion. Same with all the other war criminals. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/13 "2014-04-11T12:17:42Z")
It is just that they have shown how insensitive Dropbox is to their image. If they are dumb enough to employ someone with such abysmal judgment, why would I assume they are not evil? I guess I will go on using them, but only to store my mathematical papers, which are public in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/14 "2014-04-11T12:45:44Z")
That’s it! I refuse to use Dropbox now! What’s Dropbox again? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/15 "2014-04-11T13:11:44Z")
Seems to me that boards exist as a vehicle for wealthy corporations to throw money at favored wealthy individuals. It’s their money and if it reduces the temptation for Condi to enter electoral politics, so much the better. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/16 "2014-04-11T13:19:28Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Why would a political science / policy strategist be involved in a computer tech field? IIRC correctly Rice expertise was in Soviet studies and policy. She’s an academic and former Provost at Stanford. She’s a former Secretary of State. > > Where did she suddenly acquire any technical skills in computers or Internet Apps? Lots of privately held companies have directors whose primary qualification is that they know lots of other business owners/directors that we may want to do business with. You usually try to find a mix of people with industry experience, equity experience, and general contacts. While board members can get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, it’s also common for them to be paid in currently worthless stock in hopes that a future IPO will make the investment worthwhile. These people aren’t involved in the management of the company. They show up a few times a year for a board meeting, give advice, work with you on some side projects like your next round of funding, and take your call when you want an introduction to someone you think they know. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/17 "2014-04-11T13:27:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That’s it! I refuse to use Dropbox now! > What’s Dropbox again? It’s a very useful file hosting service that works by having you create a special folder on your computer through their client and then no matter what computer you are on, you can log in to Dropbox and access the contents of that folder, add to it, delete from it, whatever you want. Very handy for moving around files too big to email without needing to mess around with FTP. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/18 "2014-04-11T13:32:12Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > It’s a very useful file hosting service that works by having you create a special folder on your computer through their client and then no matter what computer you are on, you can log in to Dropbox and access the contents of that folder, add to it, delete from it, whatever you want. Very handy for moving around files too big to email without needing to mess around with FTP. [Foghorn Leghorn] It’s a joke, son, I say, an attempt at humor, you see.[/Foghorn Leghorn] ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/19 "2014-04-11T13:41:33Z")
Can’t say I care. I suppose if I wanted to make a comment on it, I’d state that the more time she spends with Dropbox, the less time she’s spending on politics but the reality is that I just don’t care much. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832/20 "2014-04-11T14:34:58Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That’s it! I refuse to use Dropbox now! > What’s Dropbox again? I’ll send you a link. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropbox-appoints-condoleezza-rice-to-their-board-do-you-care/685832.md?page=2)