I feel like that guy in a toga and long white beard parading around with a “Repent” sign. I know I have as much chance of changing any minds as the repent guy does but I can’t help myself. If you’re using Google Drive, cut it out right now. If you don’t you’ll be sorry.
Google is, proudly no doubt, announcing a plan to scan Google Drive documents for objectional material and restrict or delete any they find. If, as you read the announcement, it seems reasonable to you, there are some questions you should be asking: First, what, exactly, constitutes “abuse” or violation of the “terms of service”? Is it possible that this would include having content that Google considers “misinformation”? If so, that’s a bit worrisome because, as one example, Google spent a whole year censoring as misinformation any content suggesting that COVID-19 had its genesis in a lab leak until, suddenly, that was an approved idea after all.
Let’s say you’re a recognized researcher with impeccable credentials in some scientific discipline. Do you really want a 25 year old liberal arts major judging the truth or value of your content? Because that’s exactly what you’re going to get if you try to share your research with Google documents.
Second, notice how proactive the plan is. It’s not merely, “If someone complains about some document, we will investigate and…”, it’s “we’re going to go looking for things to censor.” Is this an organization you want to entrust important work to? If this doesn’t bother and worry you then you’re beyond my or anyone else’s help.
You can expect to hear (even more) stories about serious, levelheaded people having their documents locked or deleted for some imagined affront against the commonweal. The chances are that if you wait 6 months, the censored content will be conventional wisdom.
Don’t do this to yourself. Find another way of sharing your documents.