Google app update now has an option to request to remove information about you from search
In recent years, Google has introduced a feature that allows users to request to have information about them removed from search results. While it is a useful feature to have, it wasn’t exactly the easiest to locate and send in a request, but a recent update to the Google app seems to be changing that.
As tweeted by Mishaal Rahman, it appears that Google has started to roll out an option within the Google mobile app that lets users make the request directly from their phones. This can be found in the settings of the app under “Results about you”, which when you tap will launch a series of instructions on how users can go about submitting their request.
Google is starting to roll out the "Results about you" tool, which lets you request the removal of search results showing your personal information. This was announced back at I/O, but some users like @RKBDI got it today.
Screenshots credits: ralph950412 on Telegram. pic.twitter.com/MVAFt68Wju
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) September 21, 2022
Google had previously announced this feature at I/O earlier this year, but it looks like it is now making its way to users, so if for whatever reason you need to have your information removed, this tool will come in handy.
For those unfamiliar, Google launched this feature initially to comply with the EU’s GDPR laws where users could request to be “forgotten”. The idea is that in some cases, certain information about users on the internet could hinder their ability to get jobs, attend school, and so on, so by removing said information, it could help.
Keep in mind that this does not erase the actual content from the internet. The websites that host the information will still be up, but it will no longer show up on Google. It might show up on other search engines, but seeing as how Google is more or less the default search for many, it could still help immensely.
Source: XDA Developers