Google is enhancing user privacy with a new update aimed at making it simpler to locate and eliminate personal contact information from its search results. Users will now receive notifications when Google identifies their address, phone number, or email on the web. This will permit users to assess the information and request its removal from Google Search.
This process can be managed from Google’s “results about you” dashboard, accessible on both mobile and web platforms. The dashboard, which was initially introduced in September of the previous year, has now been updated to automate the process of finding personal information on Google, eliminating the need to perform the search manually. By entering their personal details, users can have the dashboard automatically fetch websites containing matching data, enabling them to review each occurrence and subsequently submit a removal request.
This advancement marks a significant enhancement over Google’s previous approach, where users had to search for their personal information independently and manually request its removal.
For those worried about their information appearing on Google in the future, the option to enable push notifications is now available, alerting users to any new occurrences of their details. This functionality was first announced last year. Users can also monitor their requests through Google’s hub, where they can view the status of in-progress, approved, denied, and undone requests.
It is crucial to recognize that removing information from Google does not equate to complete erasure from the internet. The data may still be accessible if someone encounters the specific webpage where it resides. Furthermore, Google has delineated certain limitations on the types of search results that can be removed, excluding those originating from government or educational institutions.
Nevertheless, this update significantly expedites the process of identifying and eliminating personal information from Google Search, a critical feature, especially for victims of doxxing. As of now, this function is being launched in the US in English, with Google confirming plans to extend availability to other countries and languages “soon.”
