Google’s could storage and sharing platform Google drive has recently got a major upgrade to avoid online harassment and bullying.
Google Drive users can now block other accounts sharing files with them. This is to stop spam and harassment on the platform. The feature, which is rolling out over the next two weeks, also stops accounts from accessing any files you’ve shared with them in the past, and removes any of their past files from your drive.
Google’s announcement states that Drive’s sharing capabilities are a catalyst for collaboration and productivity, but that bad actors could abuse tools meant to encourage helpful sharing. “That’s why we are creating a way to block other users.” Blocking an account in Drive will also prevent them from interacting with you across other Google services like Hangouts and Chat.
According to Google’s support page, the option to block a user will appear if you right-click a file they’ve shared with you in Drive. If you decide to change your mind, there is an option to unblock them later. This is an important admission that sharing tools can be misused by bad actors even if they are part of a service other than a social network.
