# Your phone number on Google? Search giant now takes removal demands
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-04-27
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: Google expands removal policies for personal information
Meta Description: Alphabet Inc's Google now considers requests to remove search results with home addresses, phone numbers, and email accounts globally to protect personal
URL: https://financedigest.com/your-phone-number-on-google-search-giant-now-takes-removal-demandshtml

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By Paresh Dave

OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s Google has begun entertaining people’s requests to remove search results containing their home addresses, phone numbers and email accounts, the latest shift in its stance between personal privacy and access to information.

The world’s most used internet search tool said on Wednesday that the expansion of its removal policies [globally followed growing demand](https://www.financedigest.com/global-factory-activity-weakens-as-demand-falters.html "Global factory activity weakens as demand falters") from users and evolving norms about the threat posed by easy access to contact details.

Research has told us there’s a larger amount of personally identifiable information that users consider as sensitive,” Michelle Chang, [global policy](https://www.financedigest.com/impact-com-announces-new-global-parental-leave-policy.html "impact.com announces new global parental leave policy") lead for Google search, said in an exclusive interview. “They are increasingly unwilling to tolerate this content online.”

Until now, Google would only accept requests to remove webpages that shared contact info alongside some sort of [threat or required payment](https://www.financedigest.com/payment-cards-threat.html "Are payment cards under threat?") for removal. It also has stripped links to bank account and [credit card](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-credit-card-borrowing-rises-by-most-since-2005-boe.html "UK credit card borrowing rises by most since 2005 – BoE") numbers and medical records.

It [received tens of thousands of requests annually in recent years](https://www.financedigest.com/glastons-interim-report-1-january-31-march-2018-orders-received-grew-23-comparable-operating-profit-at-previous-years-level.html "Glaston’s Interim Report 1 January – 31 March 2018: Orders received grew 23%, comparable operating profit at previous year’s level"), approving about 13% of them. [Chang said she expected the approval rate to grow under the expanded rules](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-watchdog-warns-crypto-firms-to-prepare-for-advertising-rule-change.html "UK watchdog warns crypto firms to prepare for advertising rule change"), which also allow for removing links to confidential log-in credentials.

Older Google policies [enable requesting takedowns of results directing](https://www.financedigest.com/token-enables-bank-direct-payments-for-caxton-fx-consumer-and-business-customers.html "Token Enables Bank Direct Payments for Caxton FX Consumer and Business Customers") to unwanted pornography and, in Europe, “inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive” personal information. [Last year](https://www.financedigest.com/most-uk-smes-spent-600-hours-over-the-last-year-preparing-for-new-gdpr-legislation.html "Most UK SMEs spent 600 hours over the last year preparing for new GDPR legislation"), Google began allowing removal of photos of minors.

Chang said in weighing requests under the contact information policy, Google would aim to preserve availability of [data in the public](https://www.financedigest.com/infinidat-announces-public-cloud-and-data-protection-product-lines.html "INFINIDAT Announces Public Cloud And Data Protection Product Lines") interest. It also will not remove information that “appears as part of the [public record on the sites](https://www.financedigest.com/public-restore-uk-heritage-sites-oaksmoreisa.html "The Public Restore UK Heritage Sites With The Oaksmoreisa") of government or official sources.

The [company said it typically processes](https://www.financedigest.com/companies-that-dont-upgrade-their-financial-processes-this-year-will-get-left-behind.html "Companies that don’t upgrade their financial processes this year will get left behind") requests within a few days.

Webpages [Google drops can still be accessed through other search](https://www.financedigest.com/a-year-in-property-google-searches-reveal-what-buyers-were-looking-for-this-year.html "A year in property: Google searches reveal what buyers were looking for this year") engines or directly, and Chang said users are encouraged to contact publishers to address “the root of the issue.

(Reporting by Paresh Dave; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)


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