Get All Access for $5/mo

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.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

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

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. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Franchise

Kick-Start Your Small Business With These Cost Effective Strategies

Starting a small business is an exciting adventure, brimming with both opportunities and challenges. A key to success is effectively managing costs from the outset.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Business News

'I'm Shocked': Costco Customers Are Freaking Out About a Change to a Beloved Bakery Item

Costco customers are feeling burnt by a not-so-sweet switcheroo in the bakery department.