Google Is Making It Easier to Remove Personal Info From Search Results
Finding your personal information in Google search results can be a scary and confusing experience. Beyond wondering how the information got there, you’re stuck figuring out how to remove the information as soon as possible, lest things get weird. Google is introducing a way to make the second portion of that dilemma a whole lot easier.
The search engine’s new “Results about you” menu item has one purpose: to make removing personal information quick and easy. First announced at I/O 2022 in May but rolled out just this week, the addition constitutes another notch in Google’s larger effort to help users protect their personally identifiable information (PII).
The menu item appears to be rolling out gradually, hitting Android users first. If your search experience has been updated, clicking the three-dot menu button next to a search result will reveal a new option called “Remove result.” Selecting this option will lead you through the process of telling Google what type of PII is disclosed in the result. There’s also a new page called “Take control of results about you,” where you can keep track of your removal requests and learn more about finding your own PII in search results.
Google’s new removal wizard specifies that when a result contains at least one form of contact information, the company can review the takedown request more quickly. Having worked for a couple of tech companies’ trust and safety teams in the past, I’m guessing a small team of report slingers will be dedicated to the “Results about you” section—or at the very least, that these types of reports will be bumped to the top of the queue. Google did, however, warn that there are certain cases in which it will keep results public. “It’s important to note that when we receive removal requests, we will evaluate all content on the web page to ensure that we’re not limiting the availability of other information that is broadly useful, for instance in news articles,” the new webpage notes.
Even when a request is approved and a result containing PII is taken down, it doesn’t mean your information has been wiped from the web. Google recommends going to the host site and requesting a takedown there directly when you’re comfortable doing so.
Continue reading
T-Mobile Will Start Selling Your Personal Data on April 26 Unless You Opt Out
T-Mobile will start sharing your data with third-parties and using it for targeted advertising on April 26, unless you take action to opt out.
FTC Study Confirms ISPs Collect a Scary Amount of Your Personal Data
A new FTC report examines what ISPs are doing with your data, and it's not good news. Even when they promise not to sell your information, it often ends up in the hands of advertisers and other third-parties.
COVID-19 Cancels In-Person E3 Gaming Convention, Again
For the third year in a row, COVID-19 has disrupted the annual gaming event known as E3.
US Military Awards $60 Million Contract for Supersonic Passenger Plane
The Air Force has just awarded a $60 million grant to Colorado-based Boom Supersonic to support its airliner development. When complete, the company's Overture aircraft could carry dozens of passengers at speeds up to Mach 1.7.