Google Protects Personal Information With Sensitive Data Removal Tool Upgrade

In Focus

• Google has updated its “Results About You” tool
• The tool now tracks government-issued identification numbers
• Users can request removal of Social Security numbers from search results

As the world marked Safer Internet Day on February 10, 2026, Google added new features on its “Results about you” tool. According to BGR, the search giant introduced two initiatives that make Google’s sensitive data removal tool more effective and useful.

Google Boosts Personal Data Removal Capabilities

“Results about you” is a privacy and security tool launched several years ago on Google Search. Using the tool, individuals can request the tech giant to remove their personal data, including email addresses and phone numbers, from search results.

Google’s security update expands this scope and introduces removal of personal document details like passport and driver’s license numbers. The upgrade also enables Google to remove Social Security numbers in case they leak online due to a data breach. Additionally, the latest update will see Google assist with removal of non-consensual explicit images from search results easily.

The tech company updates its sensitive data removal tool at a time when xAI is facing widespread probes over explicit images generated by Grok. Earlier this year, the AI chatbot allowed users to generate and share sexualized images of women and children online. The move sparked a wave of regulatory probes in multiple countries.

How Does “Results About You” Feature Work?

To use the Google explicit image removal tool, users need to go to their account on their Android or iOS device. Once there, they should click on the “Results about you” option. If a person is using the web, the “Results about you” section can be accessed through the Google account.

People who are using the tool for the first time will need to follow the following steps:

• Open the “Results about you” interface
• Click on the “Get started” button
• Provide the personal information they wish to track in search results

The latest updates on Google’s “Results about you” tool build on components that the company had already created. According to the U.S. tech company, more than 10 million people have used its data privacy tool to submit requests to expunge Search results that include personal information.

What Google’s Privacy Update Means for Users

Following the privacy update, the “Results about you” section will allow users to provide government-issued identification numbers to enable Google Search to track them. In this space, users can enter their passport, driver’s license, or Social Security numbers.

If the search engine finds these details online, users will receive a notification and decide on the action to take. Despite the new updates, Google will not delete actual content from the internet because it does not control the websites that publish such content.

However, the tech giant will block web pages that contain potential harmful content from appearing in Search results. Since leaked details could appear on other websites in future, users should track their details regularly. The new tracking capabilities make Google’s “Results about you” feature ideal in handling potential cyberattack incidents.