Google to now alert users about online exposure of private contact info

SAN FRANCISCO: Google has announced new features in Search to help users keep control of their personal information, privacy and online safety, which includes a new feature that alerts users when their private contact info appears online.

Last year, the tech giant had launched the ‘Results about you’ tool to make it easy for users to request the removal of search results that contain their personal phone number, home address or email, right from the Google app or however they access Search.

Now, Google has significantly updated and improved the tool to help users keep track of their personal contact information in Search and alert them when it is found, so they can get it removed.

"In the coming days, we’ll be rolling out a new dashboard that will let you know if web results with your contact information are showing up on Search. Then, you can quickly request the removal of those results from Google -- right in the tool," the company said in a blogpost on Thursday.

The tech giant also announced that explicit imagery, such as adult or graphic violent content, will now be blurred by default when it appears in Search results.

This SafeSearch blurring setting is rolling out for all users globally this month.

The company is also making it easier to find parental controls directly in Search. Users just have to type in a relevant query like “Google parental controls” or “Google family link” and they will see a box with information on how to manage their parental controls.

On Wednesday, Google announced new updates to the AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE), which includes related videos within AI-powered overviews.