It only took hundreds of thousands of requests over the course of nearly ten years for Google to finally make it simpler for you to ensure that your personal information doesn’t appear in online search results.
The Alphabet-owned internet search engine recently unveiled new guidelines and resources that enable users to swiftly and easily ask for the removal of personal information from search results, including phone numbers, email addresses, and even physical addresses. Google noted in an April blog post that users previously had to provide proof of potential harm, such as doxxing or identity theft, in order to have their personal information removed from search results.
Now, you get your information deleted from those results for any reason – and with only the press of a mouse.
Danielle Romain, Google’s vice president of the trust, wrote in a different blog post that having more control over where their sensitive, personally identifiable information can be found is important for many individuals to feel safer and more private online.
Importantly, not all requests are granted: According to Google, the business may not delete your personal information from its search results if the data is newsworthy, such as if it appears in a pertinent news piece, or if it is present on a government website or another official source.
Right now, anyone can make a removal request by filling out an online form. The firm revealed a new future tool where customers will be able to request the erasure of their personal data with just a few clicks if they discover it in search results. The tool will be accessible “in the next months,” the business stated.
Source : cnbc