How do I stop team members downloading company data in Google Workspace?
Did you know that right now, any team member in your company can download your entire client database, your financial spreadsheets, and your internal processes, pack them into a neat little zip file, and walk right out the door with all your info? They do not need your permission, and they do not need to hack anything. The crazy part is that Google actually gave them the exact tool to do it and enabled it by default in Google Workspace! Today, we are going to look at exactly how to stop this hidden data leak before someone takes your client list with them to a competitor.
The immediate fix: Turn off Google Takeout.
The tool we are talking about is called Google Takeout. If you have a personal Gmail account, it is actually brilliant for downloading family photos or private emails so you can keep a backup. For personal use, it makes total sense. But for a business, it is an absolute disaster waiting to happen. If you set up your own Google Workspace account without using an IT support partner like Kimbley IT, you probably have no idea this feature even exists. Google turns it on by default for everyone, letting it sit there quietly running in the background.
The very real threat to your business
Imagine your top sales rep, or a key operations manager, decides they are leaving to join a competitor—or start their own rival company. Normally, downloading thousands of files from Google Drive one by one takes forever and looks highly suspicious.
But with Google Takeout, that team member simply clicks a few buttons. Takeout goes into the background, grabs all their emails, every Google Doc they have access to, all your client contact details, and bundles it into one massive, easy-to-download archive file. They download it to a personal hard drive, and they are gone. You would not even get an alert, and you would have absolutely no idea they took everything until they start calling your clients.
How to close this backdoor right now
You need to take away this access. Here is exactly how to disable it across your business:
Step 1: Open your web browser and head to the Google Workspace admin console. Type admin.google.com into your address bar and login.
Step 2: Once you are logged in to the admin console, look to the left side of your screen to find the main menu.
Step 3: Find the Data option and click it, then navigate to Data Import and Export, then Google Takeout.
Step 4: Turn the service off for your team.
If a team member now tries to go to the Google Takeout website while logged into their work account, they will hit a brick wall. Google will display a message telling them the service is not available for their account, meaning they can no longer pack up your client database and take it home.
Get your IT sorted properly
Finding hidden risks like Google Takeout is exactly why growing businesses should not manage their own IT. When you rely on DIY IT, you simply don't know what you don't know. When you use Google Workspace by Kimbley IT, we make sure all these secret settings are configured correctly from day one. We turn off the risky features and lock down your data.
If you'd like an expert to help you implement this, the next step is to book a video call with us using the form below.
