Google Expands Privacy Tools to Remove Personal Data
Google has expanded its “Results about you” tool, providing users with more control over sensitive personal information appearing in Search. Announced on Tuesday in observation of Safer Internet Day, the update allows individuals to request the removal of government-issued identification numbers directly through the platform.
Previously limited to contact details like home addresses, email accounts, and phone numbers, the tool now covers highly sensitive documents including:
- Social Security numbers
- Passports
- Driver’s licenses
How to manage your information
Users can access these settings within the Google app by tapping their profile icon and selecting “Results about you.” New users will be guided through an onboarding process to input the personal data they wish to monitor. Existing users can simply add their government ID numbers to their current tracking list.
Once configured, Google actively monitors Search results and alerts the user if the specified information appears online. The company clarified that while this process removes the data from Search results, it does not delete the source content from the web itself.
Updates to explicit image removal
Alongside the data privacy features, Google has streamlined the process for removing non-consensual explicit imagery. Users can now initiate a removal request by clicking the three-dot menu on an image, selecting “remove result,” and choosing the option indicating the image is a sexual depiction of themselves.
The updated system also supports bulk requests, allowing users to submit multiple images at once rather than reporting them individually. Furthermore, all removal requests can now be tracked in a centralized hub within the “Results about you” section.
To provide additional protection, Google has implemented an opt-in safeguard that proactively filters out explicit results that may appear in similar future searches. According to the company’s official update, these changes are currently rolling out in the United States, with plans for a broader international release in the future.