It was often believed that ensuring privacy might come in way of free availability of information and also the unrestricted access to information over the internet with the help of search engines. Search engines are one of the most potent tools in the hands of the users to access the information stored across the internet in a simple, concrete and fair manner. One of the top search engines that are used globally is Google. Google accounts for a whopping lion’s share of 85% in the global search market. Therefore, it is always critical to track the new policies that Google lays down.
Google provides mechanisms through which requests can be raised by users for removing the personally identifiable information that has the potential to harm the well being of the concerned individual. Google analyses the request as raised and if it is according to the policy guidelines laid by Google, one thing that is important to note here is that the information is not removed from the internet per se but it is removed in a way that search engine results of Google does not throw it out and to remove the information completely from the internet, the user can try reaching the host site where the information is present.
Process for removal
Google may delete personally identifiable information (PII) that poses a serious risk, such as identity theft, financial fraud, or any other potentially damaging or other particular threats. It’s also worth noting that doxxing, which occurs when your contact information is leaked maliciously, falls under this category.
A request to remove links to the content from Google search results can be made by you or your authorised agent. Any authorised representative will have to demonstrate their authorization to act on your behalf. Once the request is raised from your end, there are defined standard operating procedure that is being followed by Google after that, we will list down the steps that it follows once the removal request is raised.
- An automatic email confirmation is sent to you. This validates that the request was received.
- Google reviews the request which you raised, now you must be wondering against what requirements your request will be checked, do not worry, we will list down those requirements right after the steps are completed in the next section.
- In case, Google feels more information is needed to process the request, then it will reach out to you like any specific URL or for that matter, the instructions will be passed to you about how to proceed further with more information that Google requires.
- Now in the very first step in which you raised the request along with the details of the URL and the personally identifiable information that you wanted to be removed from search results. Here two options are ways forward, either Google removes as per your request or the request is not as per the requirements. If the supplied URLs are deemed to violate Google’s policy, they will either be deleted for all inquiries or just from search results where the complainant’s name or other given identifiers, such as aliases, appear. And in the other case, Google will also provide a brief explanation if the request does not fit the criteria for removal. You can re-submit your request if your request is refused and you subsequently have more materials to support your case.
Requirements to remove personally identifiable info
In the second step of just the previous section we saw that Google has a list of requirements that your request must adhere to, we will list down those requirements here so that you can smoothly check against them. For the removal of content, the request must relate to the following types of information:
- Any Government identification ID like U.S social security number, Argentine Single Tax Identification Number, China Resident Identity Card, etc
- Bank Account unique identification details like account number
- Payment cards details like credit or debit card numbers
- Your handwritten signature’s images
- Any images of relevant ID cards
- Highly confidential and critical personal information like official records or medical records and history, etc
- Login credentials
- In case of doxxing content, any explicit or implicit threats, or, Calls to injure or harass people, either explicitly or implicitly.
Other tips for protecting your privacy on Google
Use the Google Privacy Center to learn more about your privacy options. All of Google’s privacy policies, as well as privacy best, practices for each of its products and services, are available on this site. Although privacy policies’ “legalese” might be confusing, Google’s Privacy Channel has a library of short YouTube movies with practical recommendations on how to secure your data when using Google goods and services. Try the “Google Privacy Tips” and “Google Search Privacy” series.
Many users are concerned that Chrome would remove an opt-in feature that allowed them to choose whether or not their Gmail profile image should show in the browser window. While it may be inconvenient and you may not want specific websites to have access to your email, suitable permission levels may be enabled to overcome that access. Just because you’re logged in does not imply Chrome captures all your data and delivers it to Google as per the Google Chrome team. To do so, enable the “sync” option, which allows you to customise Chrome across various devices. Syncing allows you to access the same information on a mobile device as well as on other PCs, but you may turn off this essential function at any time.
You may also enable a “Do Not Track” function under “Privacy and Security.” While not as successful as some other privacy-focused browsers, Chrome does provide this function. Although Chrome’s “Do Not Track” setting may not completely prevent websites from gathering and utilising your browser data, many sites will respect user preferences if it is enabled by default. Twitter, Medium, Reddit, and a slew of other prominent sites are among them.
When you initially registered your Google account, you may have selected the Web History option, commonly known as Personalized Search. If this is the case, Google may keep a “personalised” search history for you. This information is not used by Google to target advertisements. It does so by storing a distinct search history in Google’s server logs and associating it with a browser cookie. After nine months, the data is “anonymized.” However, unless you turn it off or erase the data, your Web History is saved indefinitely.
There are several reasons why you might wish to grant third-party apps and services access to your Google account’s data. You might wish to share your connections with Twitter or LinkedIn or provide Evernote access to your Google Drive files. Instead of creating new accounts, you may use Google Sign-in to log in to various applications and services. Google is a business that thrives on user data. It uses information about your activities to target advertisements, develop new services, create algorithms, and conduct other business duties. It’s tough to completely escape Google’s data collecting equipment, but it’s not impossible to set certain constraints on how the corporation collects and uses your data. We have tried to list down the procedure for removing the information in case you feel it is violating your privacy along with the detailed steps and we also mentioned some tips that can be kept in mind in general while using the search engine Google. Technology is always an amplifier, it depends upon the nature of use, therefore, we must ensure all privacy and security while using the internet.