From a purely legal standpoint, is it allowed to embed Google apps (like docs) in your website using iframes?

Question

So, some time ago Google removed the X-Frame-Options header from Docs / Sheets / ...

Does that mean, from a purely legal standpoint, that it is allowed to embed their applications on my website via iframes or any other method? If so, do I have to put a disclaimer somewhere that the embedded app is from Google? Where would I find information about that? I looked up Google's Terms of Service (Google ToS), but there's nothing to be found there.

Can I, to further extend that question a bit, alter the appearance by overriding certain CSS elements? Again, not technically, but legally. Where would I find information about that? Say, I wanted to change the color of the share button from whatever it is to green. Allowed or not? Say I wanted to hide the share button. Allowed?

I'm asking this question because it is very important to me that I do not violate Google's Terms of Service or any other IP rights for that matter.

Answer 1

What copyright or trademark law permits and what Google's terms of service permit may well not be the same thing. It is not "illegal" to violate the ToS unless they form a binding contract, which often they will not. Even when they do, unless some cognizable harm is done, a violation of the TOS is probably not enforceable by suit or in any other way.

Embedding via an Iframe simply points the browser to another site, and probably is not legally different from including a clickable link.

Using CSS to alter the display might be considered to be creating a derivative work, and thus to be a copyright infringement if done without permission.

Somce the linked document says: "Don’t remove, obscure, or alter any of our branding, logos, or legal notices." making any such change woule violate the terms of the ToS, although this might not be an enforceable restriction. It is also IMO doubtful whether a "share" button constitutes part, of the "branding, logos, or legal notices."