maybe Finding personal information about yourself, such as your home address or phone number, in a Google search can be very scary, but you can take proactive steps to protect your privacy. A few years ago, Google expanded the ways you can submit requests to remove search results that include personal information. Previously, very high thresholds had to be met to erase results containing sensitive data, but now this process is available to more people.
In addition to removing personal information, we also consider requests to remove images of minors, deepfake pornography, and other explicit content. Getting scrubbed results from a Google search won’t remove your webpage from the internet, but it will divert a large driver of traffic.
However, there is no guarantee that unwanted search results will disappear completely. As a result of your request, your webpage may be removed from all searches on Google, from only searches that include your name, or from any of the above. For more information about digitally disappearing and services like DeleteMe, check out WIRED’s Tips for Removing Yourself from the Internet.
At the time of the announcement, Michelle Chan, Google’s search global policy lead, wrote: Identifiable information is kept private. ” The new procedures will help prevent malicious and other information leaks.
To start the removal process, visit the topic’s support page, scroll halfway, and click the blue icon. Initiating a deletion request button.Choose from the options listed Content contains your personal information and select your country, Next button.
On the next page, you’ll be asked to specify the type of personal information you want displayed in Google Search, such as contact details or driver’s license information. Depending on the category, you may be asked to provide details about what exactly was compromised, such as your social security number or the last four digits of your bank account. The next question asks whether your request is related to the disclosure of personal information. A data breach is defined by Google as personal information displayed next to an “explicit or implicit threat against you.”
Google will request the URL of the offending content or image. You can send up to 1,000 links at once. The company also asks you to share where your search results appear. For more information on how to collect these links, see Google’s guide to finding content URLs, image URLs, and search results page URLs.
Please attach a screenshot to your request showing where your personal information appears on the web page. Near the end of the form, you’ll be asked to share a list of relevant search terms that can be used to display results in Google Search. After adding your search term, Next button.
Google will then ask for your full name, country of residence, and email address. You can only submit deletion requests for results that concern you or someone you have authorized. Enter that information and check the box to confirm that all information is accurate.
You will receive a confirmation email from Google that we received your removal request. It’s unclear how long it will take to review your case, but we may notify you when we decide to take action or take no action. We undertake to include a brief explanation of the action we decide to take in response to your request.
