Google has announced that users can now request personal information be removed from search results.

In a move aimed at improving safety on the platform, personal details such as phone numbers or home and email addresses can now be removed by submitting a removal request.

The changes will also expand the criteria for information removal to include details that could be used in identity fraud, the tech giant confirmed last week.

“People can now request removals of additional types of information when they find it in Search results, including personal contact information like a phone number, email address or physical address,” Google said in a statement.

“The policy also allows for the removal of additional information that may pose a risk for identity theft, such as confidential log-in credentials, when it appears in Search results.”

Under previous Google policies, individuals have been able to request the removal of personally identifiable information in cases of ‘doxxing’, or if information could be used for financial fraud.

The company also recently rolled out a new policy to allow people under the age of 18 to request the removal of their images from Google Search results.

What information can Google remove?

First, it’s important to understand what information Google will take down. When Google receives removal requests, it evaluates content on a web page to sure that it’s not “limiting the availability of other information that is broadly useful”, such as news articles.

Similarly, the firm will also evaluate if the content in question appears as part of public record via government sites or official sources. In these cases, Google says it won’t make removals.

There are strict parameters for information removal. And for Google to carry out a removal request, it must pertain to the following types of information:

• Confidential government identification (ID) numbers like U.S. Social Security Number, Argentine Single Tax Identification Number, Brazil Cadastro de pessoas Físicas, Korea Resident Registration Number, China Resident Identity Card, etc.
• Bank account numbers
• Credit card numbers
• Images of handwritten signatures
• Images of ID docs
• Highly personal, restricted, and official records, like medical records
• Personal contact info (physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses)
• Confidential login credentials

How to remove personal information from Google Search results

To remove personal information from Google search results, first you have to submit a removal request. To do this, visit the support page and click the blue ‘Start removal request’ button as seen in the image below.

Google requires the user to select which specific type of information they would like removed. If you are requesting that personal information be taken down, choose the ‘Personal info, like ID numbers and private documents’ tab and specify which information is live on Google Search.

Note: Google will ask you if the information you wish to have removed is live on a website. If the content is no longer live on a website but is still appearing in a Google search result, you will need to use the separate ‘Remove Outdated Content tool’.

After following these steps, Google will ask you to submit your full name, email address and disclose your country of residence. It’s during this part of the process that you’ll be asked to submit URLs highlighting the content you wish to have removed.

Users can identify up to 1,000 specific links to content at any one time. You’ll also be asked to provide screenshots to accompany the request and assist Google in the removal process.

Google will contact you via email to confirm that the removal request has been received and is being processed. Make sure to keep an eye on your email account for updates on the process and find out whether the firm has chosen to act on your request.

Empowering users

While the changes have been welcomed as a positive step to empower individuals to take greater control of personal information, Google warned that information could still exist online.

“It’s important to remember that removing content from Google Search won’t remove it from the internet, which is why you may wish to contact the hosting site directly, if you’re comfortable doing so,” said Michelle Chang, Global Policy Lead for Search.

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