Google is introducing a series of updates to enhance its privacy features, encompassing significant changes to “Results about you,” along with the introduction of notifications and SafeSearch blurring.
Results about you, initially launched in September, facilitates the removal of personally identifiable information (PII) from Search results, such as phone numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To further streamline this process, Google is introducing a list-based dashboard that will promptly notify users if web results displaying their contact information are visible. Users can then conveniently select each item and submit a “Request to remove” accordingly.
In line with its commitment to privacy, Google is now implementing the long-awaited notifications feature. This feature will alert users whenever new web results containing their contact information appear in Search. The objective is to prompt similar actions to protect users’ privacy.
To access these privacy features, users can open the Google app on both Android and iOS devices, tap their profile avatar located in the top-right corner, and navigate to the “Results about you” section within the menu. Additionally, users can utilize the goo.gle/resultsaboutyou URL to access the feature. Initially, this capability will be available in US English, with plans to expand its support to other locations and languages subsequently.
Moreover, Google is implementing the new SafeSearch blurring setting globally this month. This update ensures that explicit imagery, such as adult or graphically violent content, will be automatically blurred in Search results by default. This added layer of safety applies when SafeSearch is not already enabled, effectively becoming the new standard behavior.
Regarding images, Google is introducing the option for users to request the removal of any personal, explicit images they no longer wish to appear in Search results. This builds upon the existing functionality to remove non-consensual explicit imagery. The process has also been simplified, streamlining the submission of such requests.
For instance, if a user previously created and uploaded explicit content to a website, and later deleted it, they can now request the removal of this content from Search results if it is being published elsewhere without their consent. However, it’s important to note that this policy does not apply to content currently under commercialization.
Lastly, Search is incorporating a shortcut to parental controls for related queries. Users can now use the search terms “google parental controls” or “google family link” to access the relevant features. These changes reinforce Google’s commitment to user privacy and safety across their platforms.