Google expands tools to help users remove sensitive data about themselves from searches

As part of Safer Internet Day, Google announced updates to its “Results About You” and non-consensual explicit image removal tools.

The Search Results About You tool, which already allows users to remove search results that include their phone number, email address, or home address, can now also be used to request removal of search results that include information such as driver’s license, passport, Social Security number, and more, the company announced in an update Tuesday.

To access the tool in the Google app, tap your Google Account photo, then[あなたに関する結果]Select. If this is your first time using this tool, you must click Get Started and add contact information for the individuals you want to monitor. You will then be asked to add your government ID number. Existing users can add ID numbers and select which ID numbers to monitor.

Once you confirm your details, Google will automatically monitor your search results and notify you if your information is included in a search result. Google says removing this information from search won’t completely remove it from the web, but it will help keep it private.

This update is expected to roll out in the US within the next few days. Google plans to roll this out in other regions in the future.

The tech giant also announced that it will make it easier to request the removal of non-consensual and explicit images on search. The user clicks on the three dots on the image;[結果を削除]Select[私の性的な画像が表示されます]Just tap. Additionally, you can now select multiple images from your search results and submit a request using a single form, eliminating the need to report images one by one. Users can also track the status of all their requests in one place within the ‘Results About You’ hub.

“We understand that removing existing content is only part of the solution,” Google said in a blog post. “For added protection, the new process allows you to opt-in to safeguards that proactively filter out additional explicit results that may appear on similar searches.”