Google updates people search finder tool, making it easier to remove personal information on Search

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Results About You can help take down personal data

The Results About You tool on a phone.
(Image credit: Google)
  • Google moves to help users update outdated search results
  • Results About You tool can track down your personal info on the internet
  • You can then easily request its removal, or a search result update

You will now be able to remove certain search results and personal information from Google’s search results due thanks to an update to its redesigned Results About You tool.

Users can enter their personal information into the tool, such as phone numbers and addresses, and the tool will scrape search results that turn up your info, and help you remove them.

The Results About You tool will also help you to remove your information from people search finders, stopping snoops from looking up your data.

Remove your data from the web

Previously, if you wanted to remove your personal data, you would have to use a data removal service, or manually contact a search finder service to have your data taken down.

Now, however, the Results About You tool will bring up matches to your data and by clicking on the three dots next to a search result the tool will tell you what data you are able to remove in just a few clicks.

For example, if you are listed as an employee at a company you no longer work at and the page has been updated to remove your data but still shows up in search results, you can use the Results About You tool to request a page recrawl so that the changes are reflected in the search results.

If you need additional guidance on searching for and keeping your data off the internet, we have a dedicated guide on how to remove yourself from the internet.

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Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Senior Writer, Security

Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division), then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.

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