Users Can Ask Google to Remove Personal Information From Search Results

Google has made it possible to request the removal of additional types of information from search results, such as personal contact information such as phone numbers, email addresses, and addresses. Google Search can now focus on sensitive content that can directly harm you and request the removal of certain content.

People remove certain sensitive personally identifiable information from searches in the case of doxing or remove information such as bank accounts and credit card numbers that could be used for financial fraud. 

Michelle Chang, Global Policy Lead for Search at Google, said in a statement, “Under the policy expansion, 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 it would evaluate all content on the site upon receiving a removal request to ensure that it did not limit the availability of other commonly useful information such as news articles.