# How to Locate and Eliminate Personal Information About Yourself on the Internet
The internet serves as an extensive archive of information, and it’s likely that some of your personal details are accessible to anyone. Whether it’s your phone number, home address, or email, having sensitive information readily available can feel intrusive and may pose risks like identity theft or unwanted communication. Thankfully, tools such as Google’s “Results About You” feature simplify the process of finding your personal information online and requesting its removal if necessary.
Here’s a detailed guide on how to manage your digital footprint and safeguard your privacy.
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## **Why Is It Important to Monitor Your Online Information?**
Many individuals believe they are aware of what information about them is present online, but the truth can be unexpected. Personal information can surface on various websites, directories, or even in search engine results without your approval. This can occur as a result of data breaches, public records, or excessive sharing on social media.
By consistently reviewing your online presence, you can:
– Safeguard your privacy.
– Minimize the risk of identity theft.
– Deter unwanted communication or harassment.
– Maintain a positive professional image.
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## **How to Search for Your Personal Information on the Internet**
Google provides a simple method to search for personal information about you and take necessary actions. Here’s how you can utilize the “Results About You” feature in the Google app:
### **Step-by-Step Instructions for Using the Google App**
1. **Launch the Google App**: Make sure you are logged into your Google account.
2. **Access Your Profile**: Click on your profile icon in the upper-right corner.
3. **Choose “Results About You”**: This feature is specifically crafted to assist you in monitoring and managing your personal information online.
4. **Press “Get Started”**: Adhere to the prompts to initiate the process.
5. **Input Your Information**: Enter your full name and any personal contact information you wish to oversee, such as your phone number, email address, or home address.
6. **Establish Notifications**: Decide how you would like to be alerted if your information surfaces online (via email, push notifications, or both).
7. **Examine Results**: Google will inform you when it identifies your personal information in search results. This process may require a few hours or days.
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## **How to Request the Removal of Personal Information**
After identifying search results that include your personal information, you can request their removal directly through the Google app. Here’s how:
1. **Assess the Results**: Review the list of search results flagged by Google.
2. **Discern Eligible Entries**: Some results may not conform to Google’s removal policies, such as those from government or educational websites, or content deemed “beneficial to the public.”
3. **Initiate Removal Request**:
– Tap the arrow next to the result for more details.
– Select “Request to Remove” if the result aligns with Google’s criteria.
4. **Monitor Your Request**: You can track the status of your removal request within the app. Requests will be categorized as “in progress,” “approved,” “denied,” or “undone.”
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## **How to Search and Eliminate Personal Information Using Google Search**
If you would prefer to manually search for your information, you can utilize Google Search directly:
1. **Look Up Your Name**: Navigate to Google.com and enter your name along with other details such as your phone number or address.
2. **Analyze the Results**: Search for any listings containing sensitive information.
3. **Request Removal**:
– Click the three vertical dots (More panel) adjacent to the search result.
– Choose “Remove Result.”
– Indicate the reason for removal, such as “It displays my personal contact info.”
4. **Finalize the Request**: Follow the steps to complete the process.
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## **What Occurs After You Submit a Removal Request?**
After submitting a request, Google will evaluate it to see if it complies with their removal policies. If accepted, the result will no longer be visible in Google Search. However, it’s crucial to understand that the information may still reside on the original website. To fully eliminate it, you might need to reach out to the website owner directly.
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## **What If Google Rejects Your Request?**
Not every removal request is granted. Google may deny your request if:
– The information is publicly accessible on government or educational websites.
– The content is deemed newsworthy or of public interest.
– The result does not adhere to Google’s removal policies.
In such situations, you can:
– Contact the website owner to request removal.
– Utilize privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the U.S. to demand data deletion.
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## **Advice for Upholding Your Online Privacy**
1. **Consistently Review Your Online Presence**: Search for your
