What the Tech: Google Me
Have you ever Googled yourself? You might be surprised by the amount of personal information that appears in the search results – your name, phone number, address, past addresses, and even your email address. This information is public, but you may not want it readily available to anyone who searches for you.
Google has access to a vast amount of data about us. It knows where you live, your phone numbers, email address, and more. This information is easily accessible to anyone with a computer or phone.
How to Remove Your Information from Google
You can ask Google to remove your personal information from search results. Here’s how:
- Use a mobile device: Go to Google.com and tap on your photo or account.
- Go to settings: Look for “results about you.”
- Enter your information: Follow the directions and enter your name, phone number, street address, and email address.
- Google will search: Google will search for your information.
- Remove your information: If it finds your information, you’ll have the option to remove it from search results.
- Check your email: You’ll receive an email when the process is complete, usually within a few days.
People Search Sites
You’ll likely find your information on people search sites like TruePeopleSearch, FamilyTreeNow, and US Phone Book. These sites use public information from courthouses to compile their data. Selecting these sites in Google’s results will remove them from your search results.
Note: This process doesn’t remove your information from the sites themselves. You’ll need to contact each site individually to request removal.
Protect Your Privacy
Removing your information from Google search is a good step in protecting your privacy. Scammers can use this information to target you, so it’s important to limit its availability
