Google to launch privacy tools which remove unwanted personal image
Google has been ramping up its privacy game, offering us tools to have more control over our personal images online. In a world that’s increasingly digital, this is a welcome change. The tech giant has updated its policies on explicit personal images, allowing users to remove non-consensual and explicit imagery of themselves from search results. So, if you’ve ever uploaded such content and now want it gone from search, Google’s got your back.
The process of submitting requests for removal has been made more user-friendly too. However, the policy doesn’t apply if you’re currently commercialising the images. It’s also applicable to websites containing personal information, giving you more control over where your data appears.
But that’s not all. Google is also launching a new dashboard, initially available in the US and in English. This dashboard will notify you if search results display your contact information, enabling you to quickly request its removal from Google. You’ll also receive notifications if new results pop up with your information in search, helping you stay on top of your online presence.
Furthermore, Google is implementing a new blurring setting in SafeSearch. Explicit imagery, adult content or graphic violent content will be blurred by default in search results for users who do not already have SafeSearch filtering turned on. So, for example, if you’re searching for images under “injury”, explicit content will be blurred to prevent you from viewing graphic content accidentally. This feature can be turned off unless you’re a supervised user on a public network that has kept this setting as default and locked it.
Source: Google to launch privacy tools which remove unwanted personal images | Google | The Guardian
