Google now lets you request the removal of personal contact information from search results

The types of personal information that users can request to be removed from search results have been expanded by the company. People can request the removal of personal contact information, such as a phone number, email address or physical address, under the new policy expansion. Prior to this expansion, the policy only covered information that would allow other people to steal your identity or money, such as banking and credit card details.

The new policy allows people to request the removal of additional information from search results that may pose a risk for identity theft.

The availability of personal contact information online can be confusing and can be used in harmful ways.

When it receives a removal request, it will evaluate all content on the web page to make sure it is not limiting the availability of other information. The company won't remove records from government websites or official sources if they are part of the public record. The phone numbers for politicians are publicly available on government websites.

You need to submit all the web and image URLs that you want to be reviewed for removal as part of the removal process. It must include your contact info and there must be explicit or implicit calls to action for others to harm or harass if it is to be considered for removal.

You will get an email confirmation once you submit a removal request. If the request doesn't have enough information for the company to evaluate, they may ask for additional information. The company will take action if the submitted URLs are found to be within the scope of the policy. The company will give you a brief explanation if the request doesn't meet the requirements.

Even if the information is removed from the search results, people can still find it on the web through social media and other search engines.

The policy expansion came a few months after the company started allowing people under 18 to remove their photos from search results. Users need to specify that they want the image of a person under the age of 18 removed from the site and that they give some personal information.

You can submit requests to remove non-consensual explicit or intimate personal images from the internet giant.

Google now lets people under 18 or their parents request to delete photos from search results