Readers can use official instructions from Google to find and request the removal of personal information, such as home addresses and phone numbers, from Google Search results. These steps come directly from Google's help documentation.
What it does
Google provides the Results about you feature to help users find out if personal information, including home addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses, appears in search results. Users can set up monitoring and request the removal of matching results.
Before you start
Google states that some features are currently rolling out for users over the age of 18 in certain markets. To request the removal of a result showing personal info for a person under 18, users must use a detailed removal request form.
Steps
Step 1: Go to the Results about you page. In the Google app, log in, click your profile picture or initial to open the menu, and select Results about you. From mobile web or desktop, go to the page, select Get started or Settings, and enter your name and personal info.
Step 2: Review results about you by navigating to the To review tab on the Results about you page, where you can inspect websites and the personal info they contain.
Step 3: Request removal of results by selecting a result to expand Request to remove, or choose Mark as reviewed if you do not want to start a removal request.
What the company says
Google says that when URLs are approved for removal, they either will not appear for any search query or will not appear for search queries that contain your name. Google also notes that removing a result from search does not remove the information from the source web page.
What to do
- Navigate to the Results about you page via the Google app or web browser and enter your name and personal information.
- Review matching search results by visiting the To review tab.
- Select a specific result and choose to expand Request to remove, or mark it as reviewed.
- Alternatively, search for your name on Google Search, open the About this result panel, click More, and select Remove result to report a URL directly.
Key facts and where they come from
- Users can find out if their home address, phone number, or email address shows up in search results using Results about you.
find out if your personal info, like your home address, phone number, or email address shows up in search results.
- Certain features are currently rolling out for users over the age of 18 in specific markets.
Some of these features are currently rolling out for users who are over the age of 18 in certain markets.
- Google reviews submitted requests to ensure they meet policy requirements for removal.
Google will review it to make sure it meets policy requirements for removal.
