New Update in Google Drive Can Leave Links Broken

Many old Google Drive links may become inaccessible by mid-September. The tech giant has announced that it is launching an update that would make sharing Drive files more secure. After the update goes out on September 13th, Google Drive will add a resource key to links generated for sharing.Those who’ve viewed the link before the changes take place can continue accessing it. However, those who haven’t will need the resource key to access the file. Workspace admins will have until July 23rd to decide how the security update will be applied to their organization.

They can choose to apply it with limitations or to opt-out altogether. The personal users will get a notification about the change starting on July 26th and will have until September 13th to decide. They can also choose not to apply the update, but Google makes it clear in its notice that the option isn’t recommended. The company suggests not applying the update only to files posted publicly.

In addition, Google will also launch changes for YouTube that could break a bunch of older links. YouTube has a security measure that makes links to unlisted videos hard to find for people they weren’t shared with, but it didn’t come out until 2017. Starting on July 23rd, all unlisted videos uploaded before 2017 will be made private unless users are opt-out.

Alphabet Inc. shares shed 0.17% to $2,442.54 Wednesday, on what proved to be an all-around grim trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index SPX falling 0.11% to 4,241.84 and Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA falling 0.21% to 33,874.24. The stock’s fall snapped a two-day winning streak. Alphabet Inc. Cl A closed $12.97 below its 52-week high ($2,455.51), which the company achieved on June 15th.