Google Will Make It Easier To Remove Personal Info From Search Results

It is borderline impossible to stay completely invisible on the Internet, so there are times when your personal and sensitive information may have unintentionally made its way online for anyone to find. To combat the issue of doxxing, Google will soon be adding a feature to its mobile app that will make it easier for you to request the removal of personal information from its search results.

The search engine has always allowed individuals to ask for the removal of certain sensitive information, but it was always a hassle that required you to sift through its support pages. Now, the company wants to simplify the process by letting you request to remove results straight from the Google app with just a few clicks.

When you find results about yourself while searching on the app that contains your phone number, home, address, or email address, you can simply click on the three dots next to the search results and make a request. You can even monitor and keep track of your requests in the app.

Google says that the tool will be coming to the app in a few months and in the meantime, you can still manually make requests by going to its support page. Previously, the tech giant only entertained requests related to confidential information such as ID numbers, bank accounts, and credit card details or sexually explicit content posted without your consent. However, the company updated its policy last month to also include identifiable information as content that can be approved for removal.

Keep in mind, of course, that Google can deny your request if it finds that the page in question has other information that is useful, such as news articles. Additionally, Google can only prevent your information from appearing on search results, but it will still be on the websites themselves. For that, Google still advises that you contact the hosting site directly for removal.

(Source: Google)