Google Enhances Privacy Tools To Protect Personal Data

Google announced enhanced privacy control tools with new features designed to empower individuals to manage their personal data in Google search results.

Results About You Dashboard And Notifications

In a notable extension of a tool launched last year, Google’s Results about you feature has been significantly enhanced.

This utility allows users to solicit the removal of personal details such as phone numbers, addresses, or emails that might appear in search results.

The updated version notifies users when their contact information crops up on Search and allows them to request its removal swiftly.

Screenshot from Google, August 2023

This augmented tool also features a new dashboard that alerts users to the appearance of their contact details in search results, offering an additional layer of reassurance.

Screenshot from Google, August 2023

Default Blurring Of Explicit Content  For Families

Moreover, Google is rolling out SafeSearch blurring options as an additional layer of protection for families globally.

This automatically obscures explicit imagery, including violent or adult content, in search results.

Screenshot from Google, August 2023

Users can turn off this feature unless a school network administrator or guardian controls it.

Google has also streamlined access to parental controls within the Search interface.

Screenshot from Google, August 2023

Removal Of Intimate Personal Photos From Search Results

The tech giant has also addressed concerns about explicit personal photos and images in search results.

Individuals can now request the removal of explicit personal images they no longer want visible in Google searches, given they aren’t currently commercializing the content.

Screenshot from Google, August 2023

Despite these enhancements, Google stresses that erasing data from search results doesn’t eradicate it from the internet or other search engines.

Google underlined the necessity for continued vigilance to control personal information online.

Increased Focus On User Privacy Controls

The increased enhancements of user privacy tools and default blurring could impact how some search results are filtered and displayed.

Given the emphasis big tech companies place on user privacy, businesses should be cautious about the personal information they display online.

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