A new version of Google’s mobile app is being released that will allow users to have their own information removed from search results at their request.
This revision is an enhancement of a previously released tool that was made to facilitate the finding of the form required to request deletion.
The personal information erasure option was initially made available by Google in 2020, but it’s hidden at the bottom of a help page, so you’d have to look hard to find it.
Google is now making it possible to access the form using its mobile app. In either your personal profile or the search results pages, you’ll see the link to the form.
How to remove personal information from Google search results
Search results pages that contain personally identifiable information will have an “About this result” panel accessible via the three-dot menu icon.
When you search for something on Google and then click “Remove result,” you’ll be directed to Google’s form for requesting removal. The form prompts you to elaborate on the page’s removal request, explaining why you want it removed from Google’s index.
The profile image / “Results about you” shortcut also gives you access to the form.
With Google’s data removal tool, you can ask for certain webpages to be removed from search results if they include:
- Bank account numbers
- Credit card numbers
- Confidential government identification (ID) numbers
- Images of handwritten signatures
- Images of ID docs
- Highly personal, restricted, and official records, like medical records
- Confidential login credentials
- Personal contact info (physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses)
Once Google receives and processes your request, it will send you an email to let you know.
Google only says “no” to queries when the data is widely helpful, such as in a news article.
Also unaffected are records already in the public domain, like those found on government websites.
When does this become available?
The feature, which allows users to request deletion of their personal data via the Google app, is now available in Android beta.
You can always find the form at the app’s support page if you can’t find the option in the Google app itself.
