Google Search can make information easy to find, but it can also make your personal data surface in ways that feel invasive or even dangerous. This is why Google is rolling out new tools that give people more control over what shows up about them online.
The company says it is expanding its Search removal features to make it simpler to take down sensitive personal information and explicit images that never should have been public in the first place.
How to remove personal information from Search
Google’s “Results about you hub” can now help you find and remove search results that contain sensitive government-issued identification numbers. This includes things like passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, and other official ID info that could be misused if they appear online.
To use this feature, you sign in to your Google account and select ‘Results about you,’ where you can fill out the information you want to track. Google will proactively scan Search for results that match your personal information and alert you if it finds something.
From there, you can review each result and request removal directly within the tool. You can also manually submit a removal request if you come across sensitive information yourself. Google says it will review these requests and remove results that violate its policies.
How to remove explicit images from Search
Google is also simplifying the process for removing explicit images, especially those shared without consent. You can now request the removal of explicit images more easily, including submitting multiple images at once rather than filing separate requests.
Once an image is removed, Google will also offer an option to proactively filter out similar explicit images from future Search results, to prevent similar content from resurfacing.
You can now track all your removal requests in one place through the Results about you hub, with email updates to keep you informed whenever the status changes.
Google also points out that removing information from Search does not erase it from the internet altogether, but it can still go a long way in protecting your privacy.
The update also comes as Google shuts down its dark web reports, which previously alerted users when their name, phone number, or email surfaced online in a data breach.
Google says those alerts did not always help people take meaningful action, something the new removal tools are designed to address.