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Google now lets you remove personal info from search results

As long as you ask nicely.

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Image: KnowTechie

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Google has announced an expansion of its feature that lets users remove certain information from Google search results. The company has added new categories that it will remove, including personal information like addresses and phone numbers.

In a blog post earlier this week, Google shared the update to its removal process. The list of what the company would remove previously included more complex information. Things like bank accounts, credit card numbers, medical records, and social security numbers were able to be removed.

But now, the platform has added a few new categories to help protect people’s information from unwanted attention. Now, users can request the removal of less sensitive, but still potentially harmful, information.

google search results removal requirements
Screenshot: Google

Included in the new list is personal contact information, like physical addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses. You can now also request the removal of any ID documents as well as confidential login information.

If you’re interested in requesting the removal of personal information in a Google search result, you can head to the platform’s support page here.

There, you will see a complete list of the kind of information that Google will remove. You’ll also find a link to the removal request form on that page. Alternatively, you can check out our article on removing search results here.

This is definitely a welcome addition from Google. Internet users should have the ability to control what kind of personal, and potentially harmful, information shows in Google’s search results.

Of course, the removal process is still likely a pain in the ass. But at least it’s possible now to have that information removed.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Staff writer at KnowTechie. Alex has two years of experience covering all things technology, from video games to electric cars. He's a gamer at heart, with a passion for first-person shooters and expansive RPGs. Shoot him an email at alex@knowtechie.com

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