Google has introduced new search updates that are designed to help users stay in control of their personal information, privacy, and online safety.
Building on last year’s ‘result about you tool’ Google said the new updates keep track of their personal contact information in Search and alert them when it hits the web so that they can get it removed.
The search giant said users can access this tool in the Google app by clicking on their Google account photo and selecting “Results about you”, or by visiting the ‘Results about you’ website.
Google said it is also making it easier for people to remove their personal, explicit images from Search.
In addition, Google is making it easier to find parental controls directly in Search. Users can do so by typing a relevant query like “Google parental controls” or “Google family link” and they will see a box with information on how to manage their parental controls.
While the tool is currently available in the U.S. and in English for a start, Google said it is working to bring it to new languages and other countries globally.
New dashboard
Announcing the tool via a blog post, Google’s Vice President, Trust, Danielle Romain, said:
- “In the coming days, we’ll be rolling out a new dashboard that will let you know if web results with your contact information are showing up on Search. Then, you can quickly request the removal of those results from Google right in the tool.
- “We’ll also notify you when new results from the web containing your contact info pop up in Search, to give you added peace of mind.”
Earlier this year, Google announced a new safeguard that helps protect users and their families from inadvertently encountering explicit imagery on Search. With this update, explicit imagery — such as adult or graphic violent content will now be blurred by default when it appears in Search results.
- “The new SafeSearch blurring setting is rolling out for all users globally this month. You can adjust your settings and turn it off at any time unless a guardian or school network administrator has locked the setting.
- “We’re also making it easier to find parental controls directly in Search. Just type in a relevant query like ‘google parental controls’ or ‘Google family link and you will see a box with information on how to manage your parental controls,” Romain added.
Of course, removing content from Google Search does not remove it from the web or other search engines, but Google hopes these changes give you more control over private information appearing in Google Search.
