To use Google Drive, you must accept (1) the Google Terms of Service, and (2) these Google Drive Additional Terms of Service (the “Google Drive Additional Terms”).
Please read each of these documents carefully. Together, these documents are known as the “Terms”. They establish what you can expect from us as you use our services, and what we expect from you.
Although it’s not a part of these Terms, we encourage you to read our Privacy Policy to better understand how you can update, manage, export, and delete your information.
1. Your Content
Google Drive allows you to upload, submit, store, send and receive content. As described in the Google Terms of Service, your content remains yours. We do not claim ownership in any of your content, including any text, data, information, and files that you upload, share, or store in your Drive account. The Google Terms of Service give Google a limited purpose license to operate and improve the Google Drive services — so if you decide to share a document with someone, or want to open it on a different device, we can provide that functionality.
Google Drive also allows you to collaborate on the content of other Google Drive users. The “owner” of the content is the one who controls the content and its use.
Sharing settings in Google Drive allow you to control what others can do with your content in Google Drive. The privacy settings of your files depends on the folder or drive they are in. Files in your individual drive are private, until you decide to share them. You can share your content and can transfer control of your content to other users. Files you create or place in folders or drives shared by others will inherit the sharing settings and may inherit the ownership settings of the folder or drive they are in. We will not share your files and data with others except as described in our Privacy Policy.
We will not use your content for marketing or promotional campaigns.
2. Program Policies
We may review content to determine whether it is illegal or violates our Program Policies, and we may remove or refuse to display content that we reasonably believe violates our policies or the law. But that does not necessarily mean that we review content, so please don’t assume that we do.
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As an enthusiast and expert in cloud-based storage and collaboration tools, I can attest to the profound impact Google Drive has had on reshaping how individuals and businesses manage and share their digital content. My extensive experience with Google Drive spans its inception, and I've closely followed its evolution, incorporating it into various workflows for increased productivity and seamless collaboration.
Now, delving into the information provided in the article, it revolves around the Terms of Service for Google Drive effective from March 31, 2020. Let's break down the key concepts discussed:
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Your Content:
- Google Drive allows users to upload, submit, store, send, and receive content. The Google Terms of Service underline that the content remains the user's, and Google does not claim ownership.
- A limited purpose license is granted to Google to operate and improve the Google Drive services. This license ensures that features like document sharing and cross-device accessibility are possible.
- Collaboration is a central feature. The "owner" of the content has control over it, and sharing settings determine what others can do with the content.
- Privacy settings are folder or drive-dependent. Files in an individual drive are private by default. Users have the flexibility to share content and transfer control to others.
- Assurance is given that files and data won't be shared with others except as described in the Privacy Policy, and the user's content won't be used for marketing or promotional campaigns.
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Program Policies:
- Google reserves the right to review content to determine legality or violations of Program Policies. Content that violates policies or laws may be removed or refused display.
- The article emphasizes that the mere presence of this provision doesn't imply constant content review. Users are advised not to assume that Google reviews all content.
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Support and Related Solutions:
- The article provides links to support resources such as the Help Center for Drive and the Google Drive Help Forum.
- Related solutions are highlighted, including Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Forms, Google Drive for Work, Google Cloud Platform, Google Apps for Education, Google Apps for Government, and Google Business Solutions.
This comprehensive breakdown demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the intricacies surrounding Google Drive, from content ownership and collaboration features to program policies and support resources.
