Now you can force Google to remove your personal phone number, address and e-mail from search results: how to do it

Google will now remove information — phone numbers, physical addresses, and email addresses — from search results. The Alphabet-owned search giant said on Wednesday it was making changes to protect users from "unwanted direct contact or even physical harm," according to a report. CDS News.

Google used to allow people to request deletion of certain types of information, but the new policy is a broader policy to protect user privacy. This change comes amid a surge in online scams. The Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost $5,8 billion to scams last year. This is 70% more than the previous year. The main types of online scams used are love scams, telephone harassment and identity theft.

“The Internet is constantly evolving. Information appears in unexpected places and is used in new ways. So our policies and safeguards need to evolve as well,” said Michelle Chang, head of global search policy at Google.

Google noted that deleting information would also help protect people from doxing. This is when personal information, such as emails or addresses, is released publicly with malicious intent. For example, to initiate online harassment.

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The company said it also recently implemented a new policy that allows teenagers and children under the age of 18, as well as their parents or guardians, to request that Google remove their images from search results. (Parents and children can submit an image removal request on this site.)

Here's how to remove your personal information from Google searches.

What will Google remove from search results?

Google has said that it will now remove personal contact information from search results, including your phone number, email address, or physical address.

Previously, the company only allowed people to request deletion of more sensitive personal data, such as social security numbers, bank and credit card numbers, images of personal signatures, and medical records.

How can I ask Google to remove my phone number and other personal information?

Visit this Google siteto start the process. The page will prompt you to enter website addresses containing the information you wish to remove from Google search results.

What happens after I ask Google to remove my information?

Google tells you that you will receive an automatic response confirming that the site has received your request. The search platform will then review the request and may request additional information. For example, if the request is missing a web address, it will ask you to fix it and resubmit.

Google will then let you know if the corporation will take any action. For example, it may remove website addresses from all search queries or remove them from certain queries that include your name or other personal information.

Will Google approve all requests?

No. Google has said it will evaluate all requests to make sure it doesn't limit useful content such as news articles. The system will also check if the content is part of public records such as government files. In this case, Google says it will also not remove data from search results.

If Google deletes my personal data, will it disappear from the Internet?

No. Google warns that removing content from search results doesn't mean it's not available on the web. To remove all information, you need to contact the hosting site where your data appears and ask that company to remove it.