I use Google Docs quite a bit for different things like homework, personal thoughts, creative writing, and random ideas. With all the talk about online privacy and content monitoring lately, I’m getting worried about storing personal stuff there.
My main concerns are:
Does Google scan through my private documents for their AI training or other business stuff?
Could anyone else ever access my personal files?
Is there a way to prevent Google from using my content if they do?
I’ve also been trying out Obsidian for a big writing project. Since it’s free, I wonder if it’s actually more private than Google Docs or if there are similar risks.
I live in Europe where we have GDPR protection, but I know that doesn’t make anything completely safe online. I’m especially concerned about writing personal or sensitive content that might cause problems later.
Basically, I want to know if I should keep using Google Docs for everything or switch to something else for my private writing. Any advice on which tools are actually secure for personal content would be helpful.
yeah, google deff has access to your docs, but ditching it completely might be a bit much. i keep sensitive stuff in offline apps like notepad++ or plain text files on my pc. google docs is still super convenient for school & collabs tho. maybe mix both approaches?
I work in IT, so here’s my take: Google encrypts your docs and says they don’t use personal content for ads. But they still scan everything for malware and compliance stuff. The bigger worry isn’t Google employees snooping - it’s data breaches or government requests exposing your files. I’ve used a hybrid setup for years. Google Docs for team projects and version tracking, but sensitive stuff goes on encrypted local storage or apps like Standard Notes. Obsidian’s way better for privacy since everything stays local, but you’ll miss the easy syncing and collaboration. Creative writing that’s not super personal? Google Docs works fine. Journal entries or private thoughts? Keep those local.
Everyone’s talking about switching between apps, but that’s a nightmare to manage. I’ve dealt with this privacy stuff at work - the real fix is automating your workflow based on how sensitive your documents are.
Here’s my setup: I’ve got automated rules that spot certain keywords or document types and automatically send them to different places. Personal journals and sensitive stuff get encrypted locally, collaborative work stays in Google Docs.
You can build workflows that auto-backup your Google Docs to encrypted local storage, or better yet, set up triggers that move documents based on what’s in them. No more manually deciding where everything goes.
Best part? You keep Google Docs for collaboration but add protection layers for sensitive content. You can even auto-export all your data regularly so you’ve always got local copies.
Obsidian’s solid for local storage, but you lose collaboration. Why not automate syncing between both based on your privacy rules?
This workflow automation is exactly what tools like Latenode are built for. You can set up document routing and backups without any coding.
I’ve used Google Docs for five years but switched to mostly local storage after my colleague’s research got flagged by their automated systems. His document was locked for three days - total wake-up call about depending too much on cloud services. On GDPR - yeah, it gives some protection, but Google’s terms still let them do a lot with your content for “service improvement.” Even if they’re not actively mining personal documents now, policies change. For your writing setup, I’d use Google Docs for stuff you might share or collaborate on, but move personal content elsewhere. Obsidian’s perfect since your files stay completely under your control. No automatic syncing is actually good for sensitive stuff - you decide when and how it moves between devices. Here’s what works: treat Google Docs as your “public workspace” and assume anything there might be visible someday. Keep private thoughts and sensitive writing in local apps where you control everything.
Using Google Docs does raise some privacy concerns, as they do have access to your documents. While they claim not to target personal documents for ads, their policies allow for data usage for improvements and machine learning, which can be unsettling. Additionally, there is always the risk of unauthorized access or legal actions that might expose your files. In contrast, Obsidian provides a more secure option as it operates locally, reducing privacy issues since your data isn’t stored in the cloud. For sensitive information, consider sticking to local applications like Obsidian or simple text editors, reserving Google Docs for collaborative work on non-private materials.