Google is introducing several new privacy changes to its search engine, including an alert system that lets you know if personal information suddenly appears online.
The warnings are part of the Results About You tool which is getting an improved dashboard to “let you know if web results with your contact (details) appear on Search.” If they appear, you can request their removal directly on the dashboard. Google will also let you know if new results show up with personal information in the future. There is an alternative method that the company recommends you try. Google says you can enter your name in the search bar and if you see your sensitive information anywhere on the screen, click the three dots on the right. You will see a “Remove Result” in the About this result window.
The image below shows what it looks like.
It may take a few days for the tech giant to actually download the content. Google says it will perform a mini-examination to ensure that the request matches its “policy requirements for deletion.” The company will apparently deny requests to retrieve information from websites owned by a “government or educational institution.”
The redesigned Results About You dashboard is currently rolling out to users in the United States, where it will be available in English only for now. There are plans to expand the tool to support more “languages and locations” soon.
Search engine tweaks
As for the rest of the privacy upgrade, Google is making a few tweaks to its search engine. The blur effect when searching for images, something that was seen for the first time earlier this yearis now made a default setting to protect families from “explicit images”.
Speaking of families, parental controls can now be accessed directly from Search. All you need to do is enter “google parental controls” or “google family link”. A quick access box to manage parental controls will appear on the right side.
The latest feature is a policy update that gives people the ability to remove “personal, explicit images they no longer want visible” on the platform. The company gives the example of removing intimate content that is “published elsewhere without approval” or consent. However, this change “does not apply to content” currently being commercialized. The deletion form for this can be found at the Google Search Help website.
It is not known whether the blur effect or policy update will be present outside the United States. The wording is a bit vague. We’ve asked a company representative for more details. This story will be updated at a later date.
Removing information from Google Search is just one step to being completely anonymous on the web. If you want to learn more, be sure to check out the TechRadar guide at how to remove yourself from the internet. We’ve put together a list of nine suggested actions you can take right now.