Protect your privacy series. How to remove your data from Google search results

With the rampant misuse of private data, having control over where and when your personal information appears is crucial. For this purpose, you can use a Google tool named "Results about you," which not only notifies you when your personal data appears in Google search results, but also allows you to act and prevent its recurrence.

Once activated, "Results About You" vigilantly monitors the web for you, alerting you if any personal data is detected as a result of a search.

Google identifies potentially risky Personal Identifiable Information (PPI) as:

• Confidential government ID numbers (e.g., Social Security numbers)
• Bank account or credit card numbers
• Handwritten signatures and identification document images
• Highly sensitive records (medical records, for instance)
• Personal contact details, such as home addresses or phone numbers
• Secure login credentials

However, it's essential to understand that Google's tool restricts the visibility of your data within its search results, but it doesn't erase the data from the internet. The data remains but is obscured from easy search access.

How to Utilize the Tool: "Results About You" is straightforward to access, available both via web browsers and its mobile app.

1. Access: On a browser, log into Google and navigate to the relevant page. In the app, tap on your profile and select "Results About You" from the dropdown.

2. Setup: Click 'Get Started' and follow the prompts until you're asked for personal details like home address, phone number, and email.

3. Validation & Notifications: Verify the provided data's accuracy. Then, choose how you'd prefer to be notified.

4. Review: Under "Results to Review", inspect the tool's findings. This section displays the last scan's timestamp and the status of any removal requests: in progress, approved,  or denied.

While "Results about you" is a useful free tool, it's essential to understand that hiding data from search results doesn't translate to its complete removal.

For more comprehensive online data protection, consider tools like Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection.