TCNJ and Google have a contractual agreement that protects the privacy and confidentiality of data stored in Google Workspace. All data is still owned by the College and the data will not be mined or shared by Google. However there are additional risks when storing and transferring data outside of the TCNJ data center. To mitigate some of these risks highly sensitive data (“Restricted Data”) may not be stored in Google Apps.
Some examples of Restricted Data include, but are not limited to:
- Personally Identifiable Information (e.g., Social Security numbers, driver’s license number, or other state identification card numbers)
- Financial Information (e.g., credit card numbers, bank account numbers)
- Protected Health Information
- Export-Controlled and other Research Data
- Login credentials
These restrictions apply to all applications in Google Workspace, not just Drive. Email is an insecure protocol that should never be used to transmit sensitive data. Connections to and from the email server may be encrypted, but as email travels over the Internet the connections may not be secure. Sending an email is similar to sending a postcard through the mail. Anyone along the way can view the message.
For additional information about storing sensitive data please contact the IT Security Office (itsecurity@tcnj.edu)