Question: Is it easy for people to find "public" google sheets/docs?

Context: Storing some semi-sensitive data (individual user info, of non-sensitive nature) for an app beta-test in google sheets. Planning to migrate to some DB in the future, but for now, just using JavaScript to pull the data directly from the google sheets (since there are visualizations being dynamically updated by the sheets).

Answer: 
Yes, it's easy to get information. Search engines may index and cache the information. Then, there are bots, crawlers and scrapers. Do NOT put (semi)sensitive information in public. Implement [google-oauth](/questions/tagged/google-oauth "show questions tagged 'google-oauth'") properly with [google-sheets-api](/questions/tagged/google-sheets-api "show questions tagged 'google-sheets-api'") to get information. You can also use [service-accounts](/questions/tagged/service-accounts "show questions tagged 'service-accounts'")
Yes, it can be easily accessed.
-------------------------------

According to the official Google article [Share files from Google Drive](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494822): when you set your file's `General Access` setting to `public`:

> 
> Anyone can `search on Google` and get access to your file, `without signing in` to their Google account.
> 
> 
> 

What you can do:
----------------

In the case of your `app beta-test in google sheets` data, you may want to reconsider to change your file's `General Access` setting to one of the following (in descending order of security):

* `Restricted` - Only people that you manually give access to can view or edit your files. When you click the `share` button, a prompt will show and you may manually add the users who can view or edit your files:

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sE2hr.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sE2hr.png)

Afterwards, you may select a role for those users and then they can be notified afterwards through email.

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zDB4k.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zDB4k.png)

On the other hand, you can share the link to others. A prompt will show like the one below if you send the url through Google Chat:

[![PopUp1](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Dyml2.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Dyml2.png)

You may opt to select `Don't give access` which will result in the following view on the other user's end:

[![NeedAccessScreen](https://i.stack.imgur.com/w3Jk6.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/w3Jk6.png)

This would mean that if unauthorized users get hold of the file URL, they will still need to send an access request. If other users submit the request, an email notification will be sent to your mail inbox. Other users who also own the file will also be notified by mail.

* `Your Organization` - If you use a Google Account through work or school, anyone signed in to an account in your organization can open the file. If you are an administrator in a work or school workspace, you may set how members can [share content within the organization](https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/167101). The administrator can prevent the sharing of content with group members outside your organization. If external sharing is prohibited, only group members who are in your organization can access the group's shared content.
* `Anyone with the link` - Anyone who has the link can use your file, without signing in to their Google Account. This option is `least recommended` because if the URL is leaked to unauthorized users, they can easily access the file.

References:
-----------

* [Share files from Google Drive](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494822)
* [Share content with a group](https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/167101)