Google Workspace admins can now assign target audiences at group/OU level

Target audiences allow admins to define and recommend more granular link-sharing options for Google Drive users, thereby reducing the need to manually add specific users and groups and respond to individual access requests. Google says the new feature will help improve an organization's security posture by reducing the potential for accidental oversharing of files.

Google on Tuesday announced the general availability of a new feature that allows Workspace admins to define specific audiences for link sharing in Google Drive. Previously, the feature was available in beta.

Target audiences allow admins to define and recommend more granular link-sharing options for users, thereby reducing the need for them to manually add specific users and groups and respond to individual access requests. Google says the new feature will help improve an organization's security posture by reducing the potential for accidental oversharing of files.

"Admins can now define specific audiences with whom their users can link-share Google Drive files. This can help keep your organizational data secure and make it simpler for users to share files with the right colleagues," Google said.

With the general availability of Target audiences, Google has also made two important changes:

• The maximum number of target audiences that admins can recommend has increased from three to five.
• While in beta, only admin-created groups could be added to target audiences, now they can assign target audiences at an organizational level too.

The new setting is available in the Admin console > Directory > Target audiences.

"Target audiences" is gradually rolling out to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains and the feature is available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus, as well as G Suite Business and Enterprise for Education customers.

Google noted that Target audiences feature is not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, as well as G Suite Basic, Education, and Nonprofits customers.