--- title: How to Audit Google Chat with GAT Shield description: "## How to Audit Google Chat with GAT Shield With GAT Shield, you can monitor who your users are chatting with on [Google Chat](https://hangouts.google.com/), you can gather information about how long the conversation lasts, and see the chat participants. >…" url: "https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/audit-google-chat-with-gat-shield/" updated: "2026-10-15" category: "Chrome Audit & Management" tags: - GAT Shield --- # How to Audit Google Chat with GAT Shield ## How to Audit Google Chat with GAT Shield With GAT Shield, you can monitor who your users are chatting with on [Google Chat](https://hangouts.google.com/), you can gather information about how long the conversation lasts, and see the chat participants. > NOTE: The **chat contents** themselves are **not shown** for security reasons. ### Google Chat audit Navigate to **GAT Shield >****Audit >****Chats** The table with all the records will be displayed. Each record can be reviewed in detail by hovering the cursor over to its right side so the **Detail** button appears and can be used. NOTE: The default data set for the filter is "**Last 24 Hours,**" and this can be adjusted accordingly.  ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2026-10-15-11_56_03-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png) Chat Details window showing chat metadata such as: - Participants - Start and Finished time, - Duration - User's info - user's Device details - user's Shield Extension details ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2026-10-15-11_58_46-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png) ### Apply filter Utilizing the filtering feature, you can quickly analyze whether your users are chatting with **external** (users) domains. To do so, apply a filter and search for: - **Select - "Scope" equal to External ** The Google Chats metadata is returned, which shows all the conversation logs with external users. NOTE: Since Google Chat allows users to communicate with people outside the organization, provided both organizations have enabled the feature and the external user has a Google account, monitoring chat logs with external domains can be crucial. This functionality allows for collaboration with customers, suppliers, and other external contacts, and while it's not always a red flag, it's always good practice to monitor these activities. The relevant Google settings are shown below: ![Google Admin settings that allows exchange chat conversation with External users. ](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Chat-3.png) Additional filters can be added to find more in-depth audits. ### Result #### **Participants** List of users involved in a chat event. User email address or name is displayed, if available. There are three types of chat participants: - **Blue text** - Internal users - **Red text** - External users - **Yellow text**- unknown users ![List of users involved in a chat event. User email address or name is displayed, if available. There are three types of chat participants: Blue text - Internal users Red text - External users Yellow text - unknown users](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2026-10-15-12_03_10-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png) GAT Shield does not track the contents of conversations in **Google Chat**, but its metadata can be audited. #### Chat Space Members In the **Chats > click on the Space name** to see more details and the **chat space members ** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2026-10-15-12_06_21-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png) ### Chat spaces Click on the Chat Spaces to see the chat spaces of the domain along with its details. View if type of Chat space is a direct** message** between users, or **Google Chat space**, or **Group** etc. ![Click on the Chat Spaces to see the chat spaces of the domain along with its details. View if type of Chat space is Direct message between users, or Google Chat space, or Group etc.](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2026-10-15-12_08_46-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png) Hover over any and click on the right side under Show chat space members to see them in detail. This will lead to Chat space members, where all details can be viewed, such as: - Chat space name - Member ID - Member email - Group - check if yes or no - External - check if yes or no ![Hover over any and click on right side under Show chat space members to see them in details. This will lead to Chat space members where all details can be viewed such as: Chat space name Member ID Member email Group - check if yes or no External - chekc if yes or no](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2026-10-15-12_11_18-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png) ### Conclusion GAT Shield does not track the contents of conversations in Google Chat, but its metadata can be fully audited, providing IT and security administrators with a privacy-compliant way to maintain visibility over organization-wide communication. By leveraging this metadata, security teams can derive significant operational and compliance value: - **Data Loss Prevention (DLP) & Boundary Control:** Quickly spot unauthorized external communications, untrusted domain interactions, or unknown users participating in sensitive internal group spaces. - **Insider Threat & Risk Mitigation:** Track suspicious activity patterns, such as abnormal off-hours chat durations or unusual communication networks—without invading user privacy or reading private messages. - **Regulatory Compliance & Audit Trails:** Maintain reliable event logs (timestamps, participants, device info, and Shield extension status) required for legal, compliance, and corporate policy audits. - **Visibility into Chat Architecture:** Audit the sprawl of Direct Messages, public/private Chat Spaces, and external contacts across your domain to ensure proper access controls and group configurations.