Is Your Personal Information on the Internet? Here's How to Remove It From Google Search Results. Google now offers a "remove this result" feature.

By Madeline Garfinkle

Key Takeaways

  • You can now request to have your sensitive personal information removed from appearing in Google search results.
  • The removal may not scrub it from the web entirely, though.

If you've ever Googled yourself, it can be scary to see how much the web knows about you — and how hard it is to scrub the information.

Now, Google is making it a little easier. The company launched a "remove this result" feature, currently in Beta mode, which allows users to file a request to eliminate phone numbers, emails, and home addresses from appearing in Google Search results.

To remove your personal information from Google search results:

  • Search for your name, and click the three vertical dots next to a relevant result/website.
  • Select "remove this result" and choose the appropriate removal reason.
  • Log into your Google account, enter the relevant information, and click "send."

You'll receive a removal decision via email after a few days.

If you need to remove personal information beyond phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses, choose the "content contains your personal information" option. There, you can have sensitive data, such as Social Security and bank account numbers, removed — as well as images of signatures, pictures of an ID, and more.

To track your request, access the "data & privacy" settings within your Google Account, scroll down to "my activity," then press the three dots in the search bar and select "other activity." From there, you can manage results related to you and check the status of your request.

You can also submit a request, here.

However, an approved removal request doesn't mean it's gone from the Internet or the specific website where it was originally posted, CNBC added. It will just remove it from appearing in Google results.

The "remove this result" tool is part of Google's "results about you" feature that launched last year.

Madeline Garfinkle

Entrepreneur Staff

News Writer

Madeline Garfinkle is a News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate from Syracuse University, and received an MFA from Columbia University. 

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Side Hustle

Anyone Can Start a Passive Income Side Hustle For Easy Money — But Only If You Know These 5 Essential Tips First.

The rise of digital automation technology has made starting a passive income side hustle easier and more accessible than ever before.

Side Hustle

He Launched His Creative Side Hustle Out of a Garage. Now It's Worth $225 Million.

Tom Humble, CXO and founder of E.C.D. Automotive Design, followed his passion for custom auto design into big business.

Marketing

Don't Just Babble on LinkedIn — You Need to Carve Out Your Own Niche. Here's Why.

To ultimately unlock the full potential of your LinkedIn experience, you need to establish yourself as a thought leader in a specific niche. This is why (and how).

Business News

This Company Promised to Transform Drive-Thrus With AI — But the Secret Powering Its Tech? Humans.

Presto Automation Inc., one of several major players in AI-ordering tech, has made headlines for using off-site employees in places like the Phillippines.

Growing a Business

How an Executive Coach Can Help You Set Better Goals — And Transform Your Business

Ways to enhance your competitive advantage — and psychological wellbeing — with the assistance of a seasoned, results-focused professional.

Growing a Business

7 Strategies to Secure Business from Fellow Entrepreneurs

When implemented, these seven strategies will be valuable and helpful in growing your brand and ultimately increasing your revenue.