Google@UH Consumer Apps FAQ

Under an agreement with Google, the University of Hawaii (UH) offers two types of Google applications through Google@UH: Core applications (Core Apps) and Consumer applications (Consumer Apps). To use the Consumer Apps with your Google@UH account, you must first turn on the Consumer Apps at http://www.hawaii.edu/google/extra. Instructions to turn on the Consumer Apps are at http://www.hawaii.edu/askus/1649.

Google@UH Service Availability Matrix

For a complete and interactive list of Google apps and their features that are avaialble as either Core or Consumer apps, please visit our Google@UH Service Availability Matrix at https://hawaii.edu/itsdocs/google-availability/?app=all&aff=all&core=on&consumer=on.

What are Core Apps vs. Consumer Apps?

Core Apps are governed by a master agreement between UH and Google, and are available through Google@UH to all UH accounts. Core services include:


Consumer Apps include applications which are governed by either Google's general Terms of Services or by app-specific terms. All of the Consumer Apps fall under ITS "best effort" support, as described in the ITS Computer Support Policy.

The list of Consumer Apps will vary, as Google adds new Apps or retires Apps or as demand for existing Apps drives a change to our inventory. Once you "turn on" the Consumer Apps for an account, any changes to the inventory of Apps (additions and subtractions) would be immediately available with no further action on your part. For a complete and interactive list of Google apps go to https://hawaii.edu/itsdocs/google-availability/?app=all&aff=all&core=on&consumer=on.

Why is there no "Turn off Consumer Apps" button?

Once the Consumer Apps is turned on for your Google@UH account, you do not have an option to turn them off. Please carefully weigh the pros and cons before turning on the Consumer Apps.

Why can't I opt-in to Consumer Apps?

Google@UH Consumer Apps have certain restrictions that may prevent you from opting in. One such restriction is that individuals under the age of 18 are unfortunately unable to opt-in to Google@UH Consumer Apps. If you need access to Google@UH Consumer Apps and are unable to opt in, please contact the ITS Help Desk by phone at (808) 956-8883 or by email at help@hawaii.edu. They can provide you with more information, as well as steps you can take to gain access to these apps.

What happens after you turn on Consumer Apps for your Google@UH account?

After turning on the Consumer Apps, the first time you log in to your Google@UH account to access any Core App or Consumer App, you must agree to Google's Terms of Service (TOS) and Privacy Policy before you can proceed. Your use and access of the Core Apps will continue to be governed under the terms of UH's master agreement with Google, even after you turn on Consumer Apps.

Please note that some Google@UH Consumer Apps, such as Google Currents, have age restrictions that are handled separately from the overall Google@UH Consumer Apps restrictions. If you meet the requirements to opt into Google@UH Consumer Apps, you should be able to access these individual apps. However, when creating a profile in apps like Google Currents, you will be prompted to input an age. Inputting an age that does not meet Google Currents' age requirements will lock you out of your Google@UH account, including all Core Apps. If this happens, please contact the ITS Help Desk.

Why would you want to opt-in to the Consumer Apps with your Google@UH account?

Mainly, it's for data consolidation, convenience, and extended utility of your Google@UH account.

How do the Google@UH Terms of Service differ from the Consumer Apps Terms of Service, besides "no ads"?

The primary differences are 1) Google's Terms of Service gives Google the "license to use" your data from those Consumer Apps and 2) you, not UH, would be responsible for any legal disputes regarding your data or use of Google's services. The UH Google Agreement does not specify an allowance for a "license to use" your data provided to or through any of the Core Apps.

Are there any privacy or security implications with turning on Consumer Apps?

Yes, whenever you upload, submit, send or receive content to or through a Consumer App, you are giving Google permission to use, host, store, reproduce, and modify, publish and distribute that content, although it does not provide to or grant Google any ownership interest in the content. If you use YouTube, you are granting Google and any user of YouTube permission to reproduce, distribute, display and perform your content in YouTube.

Google collects, analyzes, and uses information you supply by or through using the Consumer Apps, which may include information on the devices you use, your actual location when using them, and the search queries inputted while using them. Please be aware that because you are allowing Google to use certain information, you may be deemed to have waived certain privacy rights you may have under other laws, such as Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), to keep the information private.

Google's automated system will analyze your content to provide you with personally relevant product features, such as customized search results, tailored advertising, and spam and malware detection.

What is the difference between Google Groups (Core Apps) and Google Groups (Consumer Apps)?

All members in Google Groups (Core Apps) must have UH Usernames. Members in Google Groups (Consumer Apps) may include users with non-UH accounts.

Google Groups under the Core App will have an address structure like group-name-grp@hawaii.edu. Google Groups under the Consumer App will have an address structure like group-name@googlegroups.com.

What happens when you have a personal Google account already using some of the Consumer Apps? If you opt-in, is the existing "personal" data, considered "belonging to UH"?

The data uploaded, submitted, or sent to a Consumer App via your personal account will remain linked to that account. Outside of sharing the data within the Consumer App from one account to the other, the data should be maintained independently from your Google@UH account data.

What happens to Consumer Apps data when user leaves UH or when UH Username gets disabled/deprovisioned?

For disabled accounts, Consumer Apps data remains within the Consumer App and linked to the account. The disabled account will not be able to access any Core App or Consumer App while disabled, so the data may not be available to the account until it is re-enabled.

The data in the Consumer Apps would be permanently deleted when the Google@UH account is permanently deleted.

If you share Consumer App data under your Google@UH account with other accounts, do the other accounts still have access after your Google@UH account is deprovisioned?

Once your Google@UH account is deleted, all data linked to your account will be inaccessible. Prior to your account deprovisioning, you should ensure that any data which is still needed by other accounts is transferred to be linked/hosted to another active account. We are not able to recover inaccessible or deleted Consumer Apps data.

What happens when you try to access a Consumer App with your Google@UH account but have not turned on the Consumer Apps?

You will get an error message saying that your Google@UH account does not have access to the Consumer App, the Consumer App service is not available for your organization or similar error message.

Sample error message for YouTube

youtube not turned on

Sample error message for Google Groups (Consumer App)

Error accessing consumer app when Consumer Apps not turned on

I just opted in to Consumer Apps. Why am I still unable to access the additional Consumer Apps.?

If you were already logged in to your Google@UH account, you may need to log out and log back in. You may also need to wait up to 24 hours for the Consumer Apps enrollment to fully take effect. If you're still experiencing issues after 24 hours of opting in to Consumer Apps, please contact the ITS Help Desk.

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Article ID: 1650
Created: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 11:03am
Modified: Mon, 25 Nov 2024 7:22am