Use target audiences in beta to limit Google Drive sharing to specific groups

What’s changing 

We’re launching a new feature that enables admins to define specific audiences that their users can link-share Drive files with. This gives admins more influence over who their users share files with, and helps to protect organizational data by reducing the potential for accidental oversharing of files. Target audiences is initially available in an open beta. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Previously, admins could choose to allow users to link-share files to either their entire domain or anyone with the link. Target audiences allow admins to define and recommend more granular link-sharing options for users. 

This means that admins can prevent oversharing without hampering collaboration—since target audiences are defined and recommended by their admins, users can be confident that sharing files with a target audience is appropriately broad and secure. It can also help users share files more quickly, as target audiences allow for the ease of link-sharing, but with more specific audiences. This can reduce the need for users to manually add specific users and groups and respond to individual access requests. 

For example, an admin could set up an audience of all finance team members. When someone on that team enabled link sharing for a file, they’d see an option to allow link-sharing to anyone on the finance team. Members of the team could access the link immediately, while anyone outside of the team would have to ask permission before they could view the file. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: Find Target audience settings at Admin console > Directory > Target audiences. You can assign target audiences on the group or OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing target audiences for your organization. 
  • End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. If enabled by an admin, users will see target audiences available to them as link-sharing options for Drive, as indicated in the image above. 
Admins can create a target audience in the Admin console 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

  • Available to G Suite Business, G Suite Enterprise, and G Suite Enterprise for Education 
  • Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite for Education, G Suite Essentials, G Suite Enterprise Essentials, and G Suite for Nonprofits customers 

Resources 

Roadmap 

Use target audiences in beta to limit Google Drive sharing to specific groups

What’s changing 

We’re launching a new feature that enables admins to define specific audiences that their users can link-share Drive files with. This gives admins more influence over who their users share files with, and helps to protect organizational data by reducing the potential for accidental oversharing of files. Target audiences is initially available in an open beta. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Previously, admins could choose to allow users to link-share files to either their entire domain or anyone with the link. Target audiences allow admins to define and recommend more granular link-sharing options for users. 

This means that admins can prevent oversharing without hampering collaboration—since target audiences are defined and recommended by their admins, users can be confident that sharing files with a target audience is appropriately broad and secure. It can also help users share files more quickly, as target audiences allow for the ease of link-sharing, but with more specific audiences. This can reduce the need for users to manually add specific users and groups and respond to individual access requests. 

For example, an admin could set up an audience of all finance team members. When someone on that team enabled link sharing for a file, they’d see an option to allow link-sharing to anyone on the finance team. Members of the team could access the link immediately, while anyone outside of the team would have to ask permission before they could view the file. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: Find Target audience settings at Admin console > Directory > Target audiences. You can assign target audiences on the group or OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing target audiences for your organization. 
  • End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. If enabled by an admin, users will see target audiences available to them as link-sharing options for Drive, as indicated in the image above. 
Admins can create a target audience in the Admin console 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

  • Available to G Suite Business, G Suite Enterprise, and G Suite Enterprise for Education 
  • Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite for Education, G Suite Essentials, G Suite Enterprise Essentials, and G Suite for Nonprofits customers 

Resources 

Roadmap