TAMPA, Fla. — Google on Wednesday announced it would be giving people the option to remove their personal contact information while using the search engine.
According to the company, users already had the option to request that certain sensitive information be removed — like bank account or credit card information. But, the new rules now represent a larger attempt to protect the personal data of users.
With the expanded policy, people can now request removing information that may appear in search results, including phone numbers, email addresses or physical addresses. Additionally, Google says users can also now request the removal of confidential log-in credentials.
News of the new rules comes as online scams are on the rise. The Federal Trade Commission reports that consumers lost $5.8 billion to scammers in the past year. That's a 70-percent jump from the year prior.
"The internet is always evolving — with information popping up in unexpected places and being used in new ways — so our policies and protections need to evolve, too," Michelle Chang, global policy lead for search at Google, said in a blog post.
So, how do you remove that information?
In order to begin the process, Google says the information removed must fall under the following:
- 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
If it does, then visit this link to begin the process. Google will then ask for the website address that has the information you want to be removed.
