Google Introduces New Options for Removing Personal Information from Search

Google has today announced it is updating its privacy policies to help people take more control of their online presence in Search, including the ability to request the removal of personally identifiable information that appears in Google Search.

Under the new policy, people can request removals of additional types of information when they find it in Google Search results, including personal contact information like a phone number, email address, or physical address. 

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 Google Search results.

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. We’ll also evaluate if the content appears as part of the public record on the sites of government or official sources. In such cases, we won’t make removals.

It is important to remember that removing content from Google Search won’t remove it from the internet, which is why Google says users may also contact the hosting site directly.