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Google Opens Document Editing To Users Without a Google Account (zdnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the about-time dept.

Google has listened to user feedback and is currently testing a feature that will let G Suite users invite non-Google account holders to view, comment, suggest edits, and even directly edit Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files. From a report: This wasn't possible until now, and G Suite users could only share documents and request feedback from users that owned a Google account. The way this new feature will work is via PINs (Personal Identification Numbers). Google said that G Suite users would be able to invite a non-Google user to view or edit a document via email. The said email would contain a link to the shared document. Non-Google users will be able to access the link and request an PIN that it would be delivered via a second email. Once they enter the PIN code, users can then view or edit the shared file -based on the assigned permissions.

11 of 25 comments (clear)

  1. "Thank you... by nwaack · · Score: 1

    ...Google overlords. You are truly kind and fair rulers. Here, let me give you some more of my personal data." - Average Internet User

  2. Pervasive tracking by rl117 · · Score: 2

    So, what they are really saying is that their illicit tracking is so effective that they already know who you are without an account.

    1. Re:Pervasive tracking by q4Fry · · Score: 1

      Guess FB is not the only one with Shadow Profiles.

  3. Seems like the PIN is the new thing by Xylantiel · · Score: 3, Informative

    You can already make a document publicly editable and only give the url to who you want to edit it. They don't need a google account to edit it. (Whoever wrote the headline and summary is apparently so trapped in the googleverse that they don't know this.) This sounds like it allows you to assign permissions individually by email address and then each person is given a separate PIN.

    The difference between google tracking your email and a google account are pretty slim I think. However this kind of functionality has use cases where you want to give one person edit permissions and another view permissions but don't want to have a long-term connection to their google account. (e.g. transactional business clients)

    Now the problem with the protocol described in the summary is that google will certainly track email addresses across usages. If they weren't they would have implemented this as being able to generate multiple document "passwords" and being able to assign permissions to each. Then you could distribute those document passwords without giving the client's email address to google.

    1. Re:Seems like the PIN is the new thing by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >"ow the problem with the protocol described in the summary is that google will certainly track email addresses across usages. If they weren't they would have implemented this as being able to generate multiple document "passwords" and being able to assign permissions to each. Then you could distribute those document passwords without giving the client's email address to google."

      +1 Insightful/Bingo.

      This is just a way that Google can collect non-Google Email address and track non-G-verse users even more. Had they really wanted it to be neutral they would promote the "just Email a special link YOURSELF" and give the PIN to the person YOURSELF in any way you choose (via phone call, text, fax, Email, in person, letter, whatever). But because this new "feature" is so "convenient", nobody will use the safe/secure way. They will just type that other person's Email address right there into Google's lap.

      It is exactly the same thing as those photo sharing sites that prompt users to "share their photos" with someone via Email. Bam- they just disclosed someone else's private Email to a third party without permission.

    2. Re:Seems like the PIN is the new thing by Bite+The+Pillow · · Score: 1

      Finally! I can give Google my personal information without having to give those bastards my email address.

  4. Re:via e-mail?? by pgmrdlm · · Score: 1

    one time email address that is deleted, with history. After 30 minutes.

    --
    Anonymous comments are as pathetic as the anonymous "sources" that contaminate gutless journalism from the New York Time
  5. Re: Great! by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 2

    I have a gmail account, but I have logged out of it on my phone and don't plan to log back it. It's an Android phone, but you don't need to have a google account active to use one. I have a $30/year fastmail account, where I can know what I am paying for.

    Tip: if you want to log out of Google on your andoid phone, save your phone contacts to a vcard file on your sd card first, because you lose your google synced contacts when you log out. Then you can import your contacts to your non-google contact list and continue to use your slightly more free phone.

  6. Re: via e-mail?? by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

    "Google scanning user's address books"?

    Log out of your google account on your phone. Ponder the now completely blank contacts list on your phone. Think about who OWNS your address book.

  7. Stealing non-logged-in-users' documents and data by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    Hey Google why don't you just start packet-sniffing everything like the CIA/NSA/FBI/whoever does and cut out all this shit in the middle? It's clear you want ALL THE DATA, so just save yourself the trouble and cut to the chase.

  8. Google ToS by manu0601 · · Score: 1

    Do you have to accept Google ToS when you edit as a guest?