If you’re increasingly worried about your privacy online, there are steps you can take to remove yourself from Google searches.

And this goes for people who are worried about nosy neighbors and co-workers, potential stalkers, and even identity thieves looking to get all kinds of personal information about you including banking details, bankruptcies, medical history, information about your family, etc.

It can be scary out there these days!

So let’s dig into how you can delete information about yourself from Google searches.

In April 2022, Google announced that users can now request that sensitive and personal information about them be removed from its search results, so that’s great news. This includes your address, phone number, email address, work address, credit card or banking information, medical history, and your confidential log-in details.

Yeah, that’s a lot of information floating around out there…

But before you decide if you want to take the step of deleting yourself from Google searches, perform a search on yourself and see what comes up. If what you see worries you and you don’t want that information out there, it’s probably a good idea to take the necessary steps to go through with it.

Keep in mind that you’ll have to either delete your social media accounts or use a fake name instead of your real one on those sites. And remember to set your social media accounts to Private.

Here are the steps you need to take to remove personal information from Google on its request form:

1. Use this form to request that Google either hide the search results or delete the content.
2. Depending on which option you pick, you’ll be asked for more information, such as whether you are requesting the content be removed from Google search results and a website or just the search results, and whether or not you’ve contacted the website owner.
3. From there, specify what type of personal information is showing up in the Google Search.
4. Check the box indicating the content is live (use this form instead if the content has already been removed but is still showing up).
5. Google will ask whether the request pertains to doxxing, which the company defines as “contact information being shared with malicious, threatening, or harassing intent.” However you reply, you’ll need to provide links to the offending website, search results, or picture and give your name, country of residence, and email address.
6. Toward the end of the form, you have the opportunity to share a list of relevant search terms, such as your full name, nicknames, and maiden name. Google will also ask you to share supplementary details before signing and submitting the removal request.

You’ll receive an email from Google acknowledging that the company received your request and they’ll let you know if you need to add any more information to make this happen.

We hope this helps! Good luck and stay safe out there!