For years, Google has been the world’s most powerful engine for finding information. Now, the company is making an aggressive push to become equally powerful at making certain information disappear — specifically, the kind that can ruin lives. In a sweeping expansion of its privacy and safety toolkit, Google is rolling out new features designed to combat identity theft, nonconsensual deepfake imagery, and the unauthorized exposure of personal data across its search platform.

The moves, announced in recent weeks and detailed by TechRepublic, represent Google’s most comprehensive effort yet to address the growing crisis of digital exploitation — a problem that has accelerated dramatically with the rise of generative artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. The updates touch nearly every corner of the search experience, from how results are filtered to how victims can request the removal of harmful content.

A New Arsenal Against Nonconsensual Intimate Imagery

At the center of Google’s expanded toolkit is a significantly strengthened approach to dealing with nonconsensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes. The proliferation of deepfake pornography has become one of the most alarming byproducts of the generative AI revolution. Studies have shown that the vast majority of deepfake content online is nonconsensual intimate imagery, disproportionately targeting women. Google is now making it easier for victims to request the removal of such content from search results, and the company says it is deploying improved detection systems to proactively identify and demote this material before victims even have to report it.

According to TechRepublic, Google has streamlined its removal request process, reducing the burden on victims who previously had to navigate a cumbersome and often re-traumatizing reporting system. The company has also expanded the scope of what qualifies for removal, explicitly encompassing AI-generated synthetic imagery that depicts real individuals in intimate or compromising scenarios. Once a successful removal request is processed for one piece of content, Google’s systems will now work to filter out similar results across the platform — a critical improvement, given how quickly deepfake content can be duplicated and redistributed across the web.

Identity Theft Gets a Search-Level Response

Beyond deepfakes, Google is taking direct aim at the mechanics of identity theft. The company has introduced new tools that allow users to more easily find and request the removal of personal information — such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, and other sensitive data — that may appear in search results. This builds on a feature Google first introduced in 2022 but has now significantly expanded in both scope and accessibility.

The threat is real and growing. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023, a record figure. Identity theft remains one of the most common and damaging forms of consumer fraud, and search engines often serve as the unwitting infrastructure through which stolen personal data circulates. By giving users more control over what personal information is discoverable through Google Search, the company is attempting to close a critical vulnerability in the digital ecosystem.

Proactive Protections, Not Just Reactive Removals

What distinguishes Google’s latest moves from previous efforts is the shift from a purely reactive model — where victims had to discover harmful content and then petition for its removal — to a more proactive one. Google says it is investing in machine learning systems that can automatically detect and suppress certain categories of harmful content in search results before they gain traction. This includes not only intimate imagery but also pages that appear designed to expose personal information for purposes of harassment, extortion, or fraud.

The company is also enhancing its “Results about you” feature, which allows users to monitor when their personal contact information — including phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses — appears in new search results. Users who opt in can receive alerts and initiate removal requests directly from the notification. This turns Google Search from a passive index into something closer to an active monitoring service for personal data exposure, a significant philosophical shift for a company that has historically positioned itself as a neutral organizer of the world’s information.

The Deepfake Crisis Demands a Structural Response

The urgency behind these changes cannot be overstated. The volume of deepfake content online has exploded in recent years, driven by the democratization of AI image and video generation tools. What once required significant technical expertise can now be accomplished by virtually anyone with access to free or low-cost software. The consequences for victims — overwhelmingly women and girls — can be devastating, leading to psychological trauma, reputational damage, professional consequences, and in some cases, physical danger.

Legislators in multiple jurisdictions have begun to act. In the United States, the bipartisan DEFIANCE Act and the Take It Down Act have sought to create federal frameworks for addressing nonconsensual deepfake imagery. Several states have passed their own laws. In the European Union, the AI Act includes provisions that touch on synthetic media. But legal frameworks alone are insufficient without the cooperation of the platforms that serve as the primary distribution and discovery mechanisms for this content. Google’s expanded removal tools represent a recognition that the company bears a unique responsibility in this chain — as the world’s dominant search engine, it is often the first place people encounter harmful content, even if Google did not host or create it.

Balancing Privacy With the Open Web

Google’s expanding suite of privacy tools raises important questions about the tension between individual privacy rights and the principles of an open, searchable internet. Critics have long warned that content removal mechanisms can be abused — by public figures seeking to suppress legitimate journalism, by corporations trying to bury unfavorable information, or by bad actors gaming the system for competitive advantage. Google’s challenge is to build tools that are effective enough to protect genuine victims while robust enough to resist manipulation.

The company says it employs human reviewers alongside automated systems to evaluate removal requests, and that it applies different standards depending on the nature of the content and the public interest involved. Journalistic content, matters of public record, and information with clear public interest value are generally treated differently from, say, a doxxing page or a revenge pornography site. But the lines are not always clear, and as the volume of removal requests grows, the pressure on these systems — both technical and ethical — will only intensify.

Industry Implications and the Competitive Pressure to Protect Users

Google’s moves also have significant implications for the broader technology industry. As the company raises the bar on privacy protections within search, competitors — including Microsoft’s Bing, smaller search engines, and social media platforms — will face increasing pressure to match or exceed those standards. The expectation among users, regulators, and lawmakers is rapidly shifting: platforms are no longer seen as passive conduits for information but as active participants with obligations to prevent harm.

This shift is already visible in the regulatory environment. The European Union’s Digital Services Act imposes significant obligations on large platforms to address illegal content and protect users. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission has signaled increased scrutiny of how platforms handle personal data and harmful content. Google’s preemptive expansion of its privacy tools can be read, in part, as an effort to stay ahead of regulatory mandates — demonstrating to lawmakers that the company can self-regulate effectively enough to make heavy-handed legislation unnecessary.

What Comes Next for Search and Digital Safety

The broader trajectory is clear: search engines are being transformed from simple information retrieval tools into complex platforms that must balance accessibility, accuracy, privacy, and safety. Google’s latest updates are a significant step in that direction, but they are unlikely to be the last. As generative AI continues to evolve, the volume and sophistication of harmful synthetic content will only grow, requiring continuous investment in detection, removal, and prevention technologies.

For consumers, the immediate takeaway is practical: Google’s expanded tools offer meaningful new protections, but they require active engagement. Users should explore the “Results about you” feature, familiarize themselves with the removal request process, and stay informed about the options available to them. In a world where personal data is constantly at risk of exposure and exploitation, the ability to control what appears in a Google search is no longer a luxury — it is becoming a necessity.

As TechRepublic noted in its coverage, Google’s expanded privacy protections represent a meaningful evolution in how the company thinks about its role in the digital ecosystem. Whether these tools prove sufficient to meet the scale of the challenge remains to be seen, but the direction of travel is unmistakable: the search giant is no longer content to simply index the world’s information. It is now actively working to decide which information the world should — and should not — be able to find.