Removing Your Google Search Results :Google Search is often the initial destination for people seeking information about individuals and various topics. When you search your name on Google, it’s gratifying to see relevant results such as social media profiles, photos, articles related to you and your business, and other pertinent information.
This data significantly contributes to your online reputation and how you are perceived in the digital world. However, there may be instances when the Google search results do not accurately reflect your offline reputation or when your personal information is accessible to everyone.
Fortunately, Google provides a robust mechanism to remove content that is either inaccurate or potentially harmful from search results through the “Results about you” feature. This allows you to identify and remove personal contact information like your home address, phone number, or email address from search results, thereby enhancing your privacy and control over your online presence.
Note: At present, this specific tool is not available in India. However, Google does allow users in India to report nudity, graphic sexual content, or unlawful impersonation from its products and services, demonstrating their commitment to user safety and privacy.
How to Locate Your Personal Contact Information in Google Search Results:
- Visit the “Results about you” page.
- If you are using the Google app, log in to your Google account.
- Access the menu by clicking on your Google Account avatar and select “Results about you.”
- For users on mobile web or desktop, log in to your Google account, click on your Google Account avatar.
- Choose “Manage your Google Account” > “Data & privacy.”
- Under “History settings,” select “My Activity” > “Other activity.”
- Scroll down to the “Results about you” section and click on “Manage results about you.”
- Select either “Get started” or “Settings.”
- Enter your name and the contact information you wish to find in search results.
Google will utilize this information to search for results that display this data. Enable notifications to receive updates if matching results are found.
Reviewing the Results:
If notifications are enabled, you will receive a notification within a few hours notifying you if any search results match your name and personal contact information. Alternatively, you can directly check from the “Results about you” page.
To view your results, navigate to the “Results to review” tab on the “Results about you” page. When you select a result, you can gather more details about it, such as the website it originates from or the contact information it contains.
Requesting Removal of Results:
- If you come across a result that contains personal information you wish to keep private, you can request its removal from search results.
- To remove multiple results, check the checkbox next to each result and click “Request to remove.”
- To remove a single result, select the result to expand it, and then click “Request to remove.”
- If you prefer not to initiate a removal request, you can choose “Mark as reviewed.”
- It’s important to note that Google deems certain results as valuable to the public. These may include government or educational websites, online newspapers, or business websites. If the result is from such a website, you won’t find a “Remove result” option.
- To confirm the removal request and receive status updates once the request has been reviewed, you will receive an email. You can check the status of your requests at any time under “Removal requests” within “Results about you.”
Removing Results from Google Search:
- Users can report URLs on Google Search if they contain personal information about them.
- On Google Search, initiate a search for your name.
- Click on “More” (represented by three dots) on the result to open the “About this result” panel.
- Select “Remove result” > “It shows my personal contact info.”
- Proceed through the reporting process.
- Submit your request.
- After submitting your request, select “I’m done.”
By following these step-by-step instructions, you can effectively manage and remove your personal information from Google Search results, ensuring greater control over your online presence and safeguarding your privacy in the digital sphere.
