🔒 Google’s New Tool Deletes Your Info from Search—But Is It Enough?

Your personal information is scattered across the internet, creating a “digital shadow” that follows you everywhere. Every time you’ve registered for a service, bought a property, or even just liked a page on social media, you’ve left a breadcrumb. Data brokers and people-search sites collect these crumbs, assembling detailed profiles that can include your home address, phone numbers, family members, and income. Have you ever Googled yourself and been horrified by what you found? You’re not alone.

In 2025, recognizing this rampant exposure, Google launched a new tool called “Results About You” to help users clean up their search results. It’s a well-intentioned first step. However, it’s like trying to clean up an oil spill with a paper towel. This guide from the privacy experts at Wiperts will not only walk you through using Google’s tool but also illuminate why a far more powerful solution is necessary to truly protect your privacy.

🕵️ What is Google’s “Results About You” Tool, Really?

The “Results About You” tool is a dashboard within your Google Account designed to help you find and request the removal of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from Google Search results. It acts as a monitoring service, scanning for web pages that list your contact details and allowing you to request their removal from view.

The tool specifically targets high-risk PII, such as:

• Your full name combined with your home address, phone number, or email address.
• Confidential government-issued ID numbers (e.g., Social Security Numbers).
• Bank account and credit card numbers.
• Images of your handwritten signature or official ID documents.

But where does this information come from? Data brokers compile these profiles by scraping public records (court documents, property records, voter registrations), purchasing marketing lists, and pulling data from social media. They then sell this information to anyone willing to pay, from marketers to landlords, and even to individuals with malicious intent. Google’s tool doesn’t stop this industry; it only hides some of the results. Understanding what Google knows about you is just the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is the vast, unregulated data broker market that operates in the shadows.

🛠️ How to Use Google’s Tool (The First Step in Your Privacy Journey)

Using Google’s tool is a good first step. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the process:

Step 1: Find and Set Up the “Results About You” Hub

Accessing the tool is simple. You must be logged into your Google Account.

• On Mobile: Open the Google app, tap your profile picture in the top-right corner, and find and select “Results about you” from the menu.
• On Desktop: The easiest way is to navigate directly to the Results about you page.

Step 2: Provide Your Personal Information for Monitoring

Once in the hub, you’ll be prompted to add the information you want to protect. Be thorough. Include any current and past addresses, all phone numbers you use (including old ones), and every email address associated with you. Consider adding common misspellings of your name to catch more results.

Step 3: Review Findings and Request Removals

After a few hours, the tool will populate with a list of websites that Google has found containing your data. Carefully review each result. For any result you want removed, click on it and follow the prompts to submit a removal request. Google’s team will then review it against their policies. Don’t be discouraged if the initial scan finds little; data broker listings can appear and disappear cyclically.

Step 4: Stay Vigilant with Ongoing Monitoring

The digital world never sleeps. New web pages are created constantly. The tool will continue to monitor for your information and send you notifications. It’s crucial to check these alerts and promptly request the removal of any new findings. This manual, ongoing effort is necessary when using the tool alone, and it can quickly become a time-consuming chore.

🚨 The Critical Limitations Google Doesn’t Advertise

This tool is a welcome admission from Google that PII in search results is a problem. However, its effectiveness is severely limited. Here’s what you need to know:

• It Doesn’t Delete from the Source: This is the most critical point. The tool only de-indexes the link from Google Search. Your data remains live on the original website, accessible to anyone who knows the URL or uses a different search engine like DuckDuckGo or Bing. To truly delete yourself from the internet, the data must be removed at its source.
• Public Interest Loopholes: Google will not remove information from government websites, news articles, or other official sources if it deems the content to be of “public interest.” This is a vague and subjective standard. A comment you left on a news site years ago could be considered “public interest” and left visible. For more on federal privacy guidelines, see the U.S. GAO’s page on privacy.
• The “Whack-A-Mole” Problem: This is the most frustrating limitation. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of data brokers. They constantly scrape, buy, and sell information. Even if you remove one listing, your data will likely reappear on the same site or a different one within weeks. Manually keeping up with this is a futile, never-ending game.

For robust protection against identity theft, which can result from this exposed data, you should be familiar with the resources at IdentityTheft.gov.

🏆 Wiperts vs. DIY: Why Professional Help is the Only Real Solution

Google’s tool is like a single lock on your front door, while Wiperts is a comprehensive home security system with 24/7 monitoring. The difference is stark. A DIY approach is time-consuming, incomplete, and ultimately frustrating. Here’s how Wiperts provides a superior, hassle-free solution:

• We Attack the Source: Wiperts doesn’t just hide the link on Google. We go directly to the source—over 100 of the most prolific data brokers—and force them to delete your records through official opt-out procedures.
• Automated, Continuous Surveillance: You don’t have to play “whack-a-mole.” Our systems work around the clock. We continuously scan these data broker sites, and if your information reappears, we automatically submit a new removal request on your behalf. You set it and forget it.
• We Handle Complex Removals: Some data brokers make it intentionally difficult to opt out, requiring faxes, physical mail, or confusing verification steps. Our experts handle all of this for you.
• Saves You Time and Headaches: The manual opt-out process for every data broker can take dozens of hours. Wiperts automates this entire, complex process, giving you back your time and providing true peace of mind. It’s the difference between doing your own taxes versus hiring an expert accountant.
• Expertise You Can Trust: Our team lives and breathes online privacy. We understand the intricacies of internet data deletion and stay ahead of the curve as data brokers change their tactics.

📢 FAQs: The Nitty-Gritty of Data Removal

🔒 The Final Word: Take Full Control of Your Privacy Today

Google’s “Results About You” tool is a useful, free utility that everyone should use as a starting point. It helps you see what’s immediately visible. But for genuine, lasting online privacy protection, you must go to the source. You must erase your data from the data broker ecosystem that profits from your exposure. Don’t just hide your data; eliminate it.

Don’t settle for a partial solution that leaves you vulnerable. Let Wiperts provide the comprehensive, automated protection you and your family deserve. Take the definitive step to reclaim your digital identity.