If you run a business on Cyprus or in the EU and rely on Google Workspace, Search, or Maps, your data is now feeding Google’s AI models. A recent default change expanded what the company can train on — unless you act.

What changed — and why it matters for EU businesses

Since 2022, Google’s privacy policy explicitly states it can use public and user-generated content (like reviews, Q&A, and product data) to train its AI systems. For EU businesses, this raises compliance flags: under GDPR, you’re responsible for data shared via your services. If your clients’ or employees’ information gets into a model, your liability grows.

The update affects Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Drive), Google Maps, and Search — all common in Cyprus-based companies managing multilingual content in English, Russian, and Greek. Without opting out, your business data could help train competitors’ AI tools.

How to opt out (step-by-step for Workspace admins)

  • For Google Workspace accounts: Go to Admin console → Apps → Google Workspace → Settings for Drive & Docs → Turn off “Search and personalization using data from this account.” This prevents Google from using your files, emails, and calendar data for AI training.
  • For personal Google accounts: Visit myactivity.google.com → Go to “Web & App Activity” → Uncheck “Include voice and audio activity.” Note: this only partially limits public content — see next step.
  • Stop public data harvesting: In the same page, switch off “Include reviews, ratings, and posts from Google Maps and other services.” This stops Google from using your Maps reviews, Search Q&As, and other public data for model training.

Practical pitfalls for Cyprus-based firms

Many local businesses use Google’s free Workspace tier — which offers no admin controls for AI opt-out. Upgrade to Business Starter (€6/user/month) or Standard (€12/user/month) to get the settings above. Remember: GDPR requires explicit consent for data reuse, and Google’s default “on” may violate that for EU business accounts. The Irish DPC (Data Protection Commission) is already investigating similar practices.

A quick fix? Embrace local or EU-hosted tools

If switching platforms feels heavy, start small: for critical projects use a GDPR-compliant CRM or ERP with EU data storage (f.ex. Odoo self-hosted in Frankfurt). But for everyday email and docs, the opt-out above is your fastest win — takes 5 minutes and costs nothing extra if you’re already on a paid plan.