In 2024 we introduced data classification labels for email in
open beta, and since then we’ve introduced several feature enhancements including:
Beginning today, we are pleased to announce that data classification labels are generally available, giving admins yet another way to enhance their security posture.
Who’s impacted
Admins and end users
Why it matters
Data breaches are increasingly common and costly across all organizations, including enterprises, public sectors, and government institutions. By extending data classification labels to Gmail, Google Workspace offers admins a more comprehensive and integrated system for protecting sensitive information.
Admins can create custom labels or leverage existing Drive labels within Gmail, enabling classification of emails based on department, document type, sensitivity, and more. This allows for the creation of targeted data protection rules, such as blocking the sending of internal-labeled emails to external recipients or automatically applying a confidential label to messages containing sensitive financial data.
The instant application of auto-classification and DLP rules in Gmail provides immediate feedback to users, educating them on data protection policies and allowing them to rectify issues before emails are sent, ultimately minimizing data breaches and improving overall data security.
Finally,availability on mobile devices provides a comprehensive experience, ensuring data is protected and labeled across all user devices, whether users are sharing and accessing information from desktop devices or from mobile devices on-the-go.
Additional details
To further enhance the data classification labels experience,
instant application of DLP rules and actions triggered by classification labels will soon be generally available on mobile devices. We anticipate that this functionality will be available in May – we’ll share an update once we have more information.
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Users can apply classification labels to a message, according to the organization’s data governance policies.png)
Classification labels on mobile when composing a message and reading a message
Rollout pace
Availability
The Label Manager and manual classification is available to Google Workspace:
- Frontline Starter and Standard
- Business Standard and Plus
- Enterprise Standard and Plus
- Education Standard and Education Plus
- Essentials, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus
Data loss prevention rules with labels as a condition or labels as an action are available to:
- Enterprise Standard and Plus
- Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade
- Frontline Standard
- Cloud Identity Premium (in combination with a Workspace Edition that includes Gmail)
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