February 28, 2020
Over the last week, you may have received an email from Google or seen a blue bar with a notice regarding changes to their Terms of Service while browsing Google online. According to Google, these changes will take effect on March 31, 2020, and will not impact the way you use your U-M Google account.
What’s changing?
- Improved readability: Google has attempted to make its Terms of Service easier to understand by adding links to useful information and providing definitions where applicable.
- Better communication: Google has explained when they will make changes to their services, such as adding/removing a feature and when they will restrict/terminate a user’s access to their account. Additionally, they plan to do more to notify you when a change negatively impacts your experience with their services.
- Adding Google Chrome, Google Chrome OS, and Google Drive to the Terms: Google’s updated Terms of Service now cover Google Chrome, Google Chrome OS, and Google Drive, which also have service-specific terms and policies to help you understand what’s unique to those services.
- No changes to Google’s Privacy Policy: Google will not make any changes to their Privacy Policy or changes to the way they treat your information. As a reminder, you can always visit your U-M Google Account page to review your privacy settings and manage how your data is used.
What do I need to do?
No action is required on your part.
To learn more about the changes to Google’s Terms of Service, visit Google’s summary of key changes or FAQ.