Google introduces tools to help users remove personal information from search results

Google has released new search upgrades to help consumers maintain control over their personal information, privacy, and online safety.

Continuing on from last year’s’result about you tool,’ Google stated that the new upgrades track users personal contact information in Search and notify them when it appears on the web so that they can have it erased.

Users can access this capability in the Google app by clicking on their Google account photo and selecting “Results about you,” or by visiting the ‘Results about you’ website, according to the search giant.

Google also stated that it is making it easier for users to delete personal, explicit photographs from Search.

In addition, Google is making it easier to find parental controls directly in Search. Users can do so by typing a relevant query like “Google parental controls” or “Google family link” and they will see a box with information on how to manage their parental controls.   

While the tool is currently available in the U.S. and in English for a start, Google said it is working to bring it to new languages and other countries globally.  

New dashboard 

Announcing the tool via a blog post, Google’s Vice President, Trust, Danielle Romain, said: 

• “In the coming days, we’ll be rolling out a new dashboard that will let you know if web results with your contact information are showing up on Search. Then, you can quickly request the removal of those results from Google right in the tool.
• “We’ll also notify you when new results from the web containing your contact info pop up in Search, to give you added peace of mind.” 

Earlier this year, Google announced a new safeguard that helps protect users and their families from inadvertently encountering explicit imagery on Search. With this update, explicit imagery — such as adult or graphic violent content will now be blurred by default when it appears in Search results. 

• “The new SafeSearch blurring setting is rolling out for all users globally this month. You can adjust your settings and turn it off at any time unless a guardian or school network administrator has locked the setting.
• “We’re also making it easier to find parental controls directly in Search. Just type in a relevant query like ‘google parental controls’ or ‘Google family link and you will see a box with information on how to manage your parental controls,” Romain added. 

Of course, removing content from Google Search does not remove it from the web or other search engines, but Google hopes these changes give you more control over private information appearing in Google Search.