According to Android Police, Google is finally rolling out a feature to block messages from unknown senders in Google Chat, a change highlighted in a new Workspace Updates post. The platform, which recently gained message scheduling, will now let users restrict both 1:1 conversations and space invitations to “Known senders only.” The default setting will remain open, allowing invites from anyone, but users can toggle the new restriction on for chats, spaces, or both. Once enabled, only people you’ve previously interacted with or who are in your contacts can message you; all other requests go to spam. The feature smartly excludes users from your own company domain, so new colleagues can still reach you. This update is rolling out now and should be fully visible by early next week.
Why This Took So Long
Look, this is a basic privacy control that most other messaging platforms have had for years. So why did it take Google Chat so long? I think it reveals a lot about the service’s identity crisis. Google Chat has always been this weird hybrid—part Slack competitor for work, part Hangouts replacement for consumers. That ambiguity probably stalled simple decisions like this. For a “workspace” tool, you want openness within your company. But for anything resembling a personal chat app? You need walls. It seems like Google finally accepted that even in a work context, spam and unwanted external sales pitches are a real headache. Better late than never, I guess.
The Smart Company Caveat
Here’s the thing: the most intelligent part of this rollout is how it handles your company’s domain. Basically, it creates a safe zone internally. The setting “has no impact on messages between users of the same domain,” Google says. That’s crucial. It means the feature stops external noise without crippling internal collaboration. A new hire on their first day can still DM anyone without being treated as spam. That shows they thought about actual business use cases, not just slapping on a block button. It’s a small detail, but it’s the difference between a useful admin tool and a frustrating one that IT has to constantly override.
A Trend Towards Boundaries
This feels like part of a broader, quieter trend across tech: giving users more granular control over their attention. We saw it with LinkedIn making it harder to InMail strangers, and now Google is doing it for Chat. The “always open” default is becoming a liability. Spam, harassment, and just plain noise are degrading these platforms. So companies are slowly, reluctantly, building fences. And honestly, it’s about time. The question is, will users actually go into settings to turn this on? Or will most people stick with the permissive default because they don’t know it exists? The rollout is a step, but education is the next one.
How This Fits Into Workspace
Strategically, this is Google sharpening Workspace as a polished, enterprise-ready suite. It’s not just about competing on features with Teams or Slack, but on governance and control. Message scheduling was about productivity; this is about security and user comfort. For IT admins, these are the small wins that make a platform feel manageable. It’s not the flashy AI feature, but it’s the kind of setting that stops a flood of help desk tickets. By rolling it out as a user-controlled option, they’re pleasing both end-users who want privacy and admins who don’t want another mandatory policy to configure. A pretty savvy move, all things considered.
