Allowing faculty to share files and web content with “anyone with the link” can be convenient—but also risky. While this setting supports flexible collaboration, it may unintentionally expose student information, instructional materials, or internal resources beyond intended audiences if links are forwarded or indexed.

Schools should review whether this level of openness aligns with their data protection policies and privacy standards. For most educational use cases, limiting sharing to “restricted” or “only specific people” provides better oversight and keeps content access under control. Maintaining allowlisted domains for students remains a smart boundary, but faculty policies should be regularly audited as well.

At Get Set Tech, we help schools fine-tune their Google Workspace sharing configurations to strike the right balance between accessibility and security. From file permissions to domain visibility, we ensure your digital tools work smarter—and safer—for everyone on campus.