Google Admin Console currently does not provide the flexibility to manage the setting to allow viewers and commenters to download, print and copy files in bulk on a more granular level than per shared drive. But don’t worry, we got your back!
Decide which files you want to prevent from being downloaded, printed, and copied
In Florbs File Security for Google Drive tool, you can click on any tile that summarizes file sharing stats in your organization. For example, “Public access”, which will take to a list of all files shared with “Anyone with the link”, or “External access” – all files that are shared outside your organization.
This will take you to Audit files section. Alternatively, you can start here, and combine filters to find the files you want to prevent from being downloaded, printed and copied.
2. Change the sharing setting for many files at once
Select the files you want to manage and click on Manage files.
This will take you to Bulk file management section.
For example, in the screenshot below we are changing the setting for all files that are shared with “Anyone with the link”.
You can also start directly in the Bulk management section an select the files you wish to manage using criteria (e.g. for all files with the label “Confidential”, do not allow downloading, printing, and copying).
Done! The action will be added to the history log with the overview you added for transparency and accountability of all actions in the app.
3. Create a security policy to automatically prevent files from being downloaded, printed, and copied
You can also add this action as a security workflow, to be automatically applied to all files that meet your criteria in the future. That saves you time and effort, ensuring that all future files are always protected without delay.
4. Suggestions for policies to increase your data security:
Create a policy to automatically prevent files from being downloaded, printed, or copied, if they are:
Located in the My Drive of a member of the executive team.
Located in a shared drive that contains a lot of confidential information, e.g. shared drive “Management”, “Strategy”, “Legal”.
Labeled as “Confidential” or “Top secret”.
Shared with “Anyone with the link”.
File name contains words “confidential”, “agreement”, “payroll”, “financial”.
Shared with a specific user or group
Shared externally.
Shared with a specific company.
Shared with personal accounts.
5. Change the setting for a single file
You can also change the setting for a single file. To do that, head to the file details overview by clicking on the file name in the Audit files section.
At the bottom of the page you’ll see the checkboxes with which you can manage the sharing settings for this file.
