How to remove your personal information from Google search?
When you find out that strangers can find your personal information in a matter of seconds just by using Google search, a natural desire to remove it arises. Let's talk about what information you can remove from Google and how to do it.
Why Should You Remove Personal Information from Google?
The main reason for removing information from Google search is to protect your privacy and security. Surely, you don’t want someone invading your personal life or using your data for their purposes. But there are other reasons, let’s explore them all:
Privacy Protection
You might not want your personal information, such as your physical address or bank account number, to be accessible to anyone who searches the web. By limiting the amount of personal data available through Google search, you reduce the risks of identity theft, cyberstalking, harassment, and other privacy-related risks.
Enhancing Online Security
Cybercriminals can use your personal information for phishing attacks, identity theft, or financial fraud. The less personal information Google can display about you, the less attractive a target you become for cybercriminals.
Reducing Unwanted Attention
Removing personal details from Google search results makes it harder for people to find you online, helping you maintain a lower profile and avoid unwanted attention.
Maintaining Your Professional Image
Erasing outdated, inaccurate, or negative information can help you present a more accurate and professional image to potential employers, clients, and colleagues.
What Information Can You Remove from Google?
You can remove any personal information that is outdated, inaccurate, or violates Google’s guidelines from its search results. You can also remove sensitive data, defamatory or unwanted explicit content, and copyrighted materials without proper authorization. You can even ask Google to blur images of your home on Google Maps. You can contact Google and request the removal of the following information: - Contact details: home and email addresses, phone number, - Personal identification information: passport or driver's license number, social security number, or other legal identifiers, - Payment information: bank card numbers, account numbers, or electronic wallet details, - Images of your handwritten signature, - Images of your identification documents, medical history, or other official records, -Confidential login credentials Google also allows users to remove information that is highly personal and could cause harm, such as inappropriate adult content linked to your name in Google search results. Google has specific policies and procedures for handling requests to remove personal information. Google may remove your information upon your request if it is outdated, inaccurate, or violates the search engine’s policies, but in some cases, it might refuse to do so — Google assesses each request on a case-by-case basis.
How to Remove Your Personal Information from Google?
If you've been wondering how to remove personal information from Google, you can use our recommendations. First, search for yourself on Google to find out what information about you is available online. Then, you must submit a request to remove information in Google; for this, fill out Google's content removal form. On the website, select the appropriate option "Remove information you see in Google Search." Choose where you want the information to be removed from — either "In Google's search results and on a website" or "Only in Google's search results." Continue filling out the removal request form as instructed, specifying what type of content you want to be removed. Voila! Once the company makes a positive decision, your privacy will be elevated to a new level.
