Does Google read or use my data?

No. Google Workspace for Education operates under strict enterprise terms that differ completely from consumer accounts.

• No Advertising Data Mining: Per Section 1.4 of the Google Workspace Terms of Service, Google is contractually barred from scanning your data for advertising purposes.

• Federal-Grade Security: While Google hosts the data, their infrastructure is FedRAMP certified - offering security controls and compliance measures far more extensive than what Geneseo could maintain independently.

• Approved for PII: Because of this security, CIT has officially certified Google Drive for specific offices to store highly sensitive data (like SSNs) after mandatory compliance training.

Managing and Restricting File Access

Who at Geneseo or SUNY can see my files?

Access is strictly localized and tightly controlled:

• Geneseo CIT Admins: A small, limited number of global administrators within CIT have system-level access to the Geneseo Google domain. This access is strictly logged and used almost exclusively to provide requested technical support to document owners.

• SUNY & State Oversight: No outside entities—including SUNY System Administration or New York State officials—have access to data within Geneseo's Google domain.

CIT considers Google services secure for the purposes of most Geneseo Office workflows and data. If you plan to use Google Drive or Google Forms to collect and/or store PII (Social Security Numbers, Driver's License Numbers, Passport numbers) please contact CIT prior to doing so. 

There are several global admins at Geneseo within CIT that have access to any data in our Google Domain. Access is restricted and logged. Geneseo administrators typically only use this access to provide support to document owners. No one in SUNY or the State has access to Geneseo data in our Google domain. 

Preventing Google from reading my information