How to Set Up Google Alerts and Remove Search Results About Yourself (2026)

At a glance

Urgency proactive

Category prevention

Key action Open Google's 'Results about you' hub (goo.gle/resultsaboutyou), click Get started, and add the contact info you want monitored.

Last verified 2026-06-21

Last verified June 2026 Reviewed quarterly

Immediate steps

Open Google's 'Results about you' hub (goo.gle/resultsaboutyou), click Get started, and add the contact info you want monitored.
Turn on notifications so Google alerts you when matching results appear.
Separately, set up Google Alerts (google.com/alerts) for your name, phone, and email.

Where to report

Entity	Contact	What to report
Google 'Results about you'	goo.gle/resultsaboutyou	Search results exposing your phone, email, home address, or government-ID numbers
Google 'Remove my private info'	https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/9673730	Doxxing content and other private/personal info

Removal actions

Request removal of results containing your contact info directly from the hub or via the three-dot menu on a result.
As of Google's February 2026 update, request removal of results containing government-ID numbers (driver's license, passport, SSN) and more easily remove non-consensual explicit images from Google Images (submit multiple at once; opt into proactive filtering).
For outdated results where the source page already changed, use Google's refresh/outdated-content tool.
Remember Google removal hides results from Search but does not delete the source page — also request removal at the source (e.g., broker opt-out).

Prevention and follow-up

Keep monitoring on so you catch new exposures quickly.
Remove the underlying data at the source by opting out of data brokers.
Repeat periodically; new pages get indexed over time.

Legal context

Google's removal is a policy mechanism, not a legal order; it won't remove material it deems of public interest (e.g., news, government records). Where Google's policies don't apply, local laws may. Removing a search result does not remove content from the web. This is general information, not legal advice.

Key mistakes to avoid

Assuming a Google removal deletes the source content.
Skipping the source-site/broker opt-out, so results keep reappearing.
Not enabling monitoring/notifications.
Overlooking that Google won't remove public-interest content.

How Delist helps

Most personal-info search results trace back to data brokers and people-search sites. Removing yourself at the source (the brokers) is what stops results from coming back after a Google takedown — the ongoing work delist.ai automates. (Per Google PM Phoebe Wong's Feb 10, 2026 blog post, over 10 million people have used the 'Results about you' tool, which launched in Sept 2022.)

Find out what personal data is exposed about you online.

Run a free scan →

Frequently asked questions

Is it illegal?

Google's removal is a policy mechanism, not a legal order; it won't remove material it deems of public interest (e.g., news, government records). Where Google's policies don't apply, local laws may.

How do I prevent this from happening again?

Keep monitoring on so you catch new exposures quickly. Remove the underlying data at the source by opting out of data brokers.

Should I contact the police?

If you are in immediate danger or receiving threats, yes — call 911 or your local non-emergency line to create a report. A police report creates a paper trail that platforms and legal processes may require.

Can Delist help with this?

Sources

This guide provides general information for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, medical, or safety advice. If you are in danger, contact emergency services immediately.