Back in 2023, we covered Google’s approach to removing personal information from their search results upon request; it was possible, but finding where to go to get the ball rolling wasn’t as clear as it could be. That has recently changed. Now, it’s easier to flag up links to personal content, and get it removed while you’re browsing.
In this article, we’ll explain what the 2025 changes to removing personal data from Google search results are, and how they work for those looking to have a little less of themselves online.
Why would you want to remove your information from Google search results?
To recap, here are some of the reasons why you may want links to your personal information removed from search results…
General privacy
Identifiers such as your name, address, email address, and phone number aren’t necessarily the kinds of things you want everyone to have access to. They could also be used to find personal or outdated information about you online. You may be inadvertently giving out more than you bargained for to potential employers, neighbours, family, or friends, for example. Simply not wanting to have too much about yourself online is reason enough to request information removal from Google.
Safety
Your personal information in the hands of stalkers and harassers poses an obvious safety risk. Information about your physical location, such as your home address and place of employment could lead to a physical threat, and places you hang out online, such as social media sites can leave you at risk of online harassment.
If this is something you feel concerned about, or a situation has arisen where your personal information online poses a risk to you, you may want to remove it from Google’s search results.
Fraud
The more information that fraudsters can get hold of, the more convincing they can make their criminal activities. Anything from your name, date of birth, and address to your employment information can be used for a scammer’s gain. With it they could make phishing phone calls, texts and emails look, earning your trust and allowing them to attempt criminal activities such as direct debit fraud, and full blown identity theft.
What can be removed from Google?
It’s important to note that it’s the appearance of links to this content in the search results that Google removes, not the content itself, as they cannot control the hosting site. According to Google, links to the following can be removed from their search results:
- Explicit or intimate personal images
- Explicit non-consensual fake imagery
- Association with irrelevant sexual content via your name
- Personally identifiable information (PII) or doxxing content including:
- Your address, phone number, and/or email address
- Confidential government identification (ID) numbers
- Bank account or credit card numbers
- Images of your handwritten signature, or an ID doc
- Highly personal, restricted, and official records, such as medical records
- Confidential login credentials
- Other types of personal information
- Content about you on sites with exploitative removal practices
- Content related to individuals under 18, including non-explicit images, and child sexual abuse material
What changes are Google making to personal information removal?
A new look for the ‘results about you’ hub
Google has refreshed the ‘results about you’ tool, and it’s now far more proactive than it used to be. It will scan the search results for your personal information, and alert you when it finds some. From here, you can take action directly through Google to get the link removed from the results pages.
Outside of this tool, you could also get in contact with the site owner to get the information removed at source.
A simpler removal request process
It’s now even easier to request the removal of a search result; you can do it from right there on the results page. Three dots next to the link in the results page open a panel on which you’ll find an option to ‘remove result’. You can then be guided through the removal request process from here.
The option to refresh outdated search results
If edits or content removal mean that a webpage doesn’t match what appears on Google anymore, a new update has made it easier to get it refreshed. In some circumstances, this could save personal info showing up in the results.
Whereas before you’d have to wait for Google to recrawl the page, you can now prompt it to do so it can retrieve the most recent information. Simply click the three dots next to an outdated search result, and request a refresh.
Get a handle on search with 427
Whilst we don’t typically deal with personal information removal for our clients, staying on top of Google’s evolving policies is crucial for understanding the broader search landscape. As things change, you can expect Google to continue refining its approach to search visibility.
The whole 427 team is committed to keeping our clients informed about the latest Google updates, whether they directly impact SEO, or shape the future of search as a whole. If you’re looking for experts who know how best to optimise your website for search, we’re here to help. Get in touch today.