Google has made its dark web report free, allowing users to monitor the dark web for leaked personal information. The report, which scans for data linked to individuals from previous data breaches or hacks, was previously only available with a Google One membership. However, as of last July, it is now accessible for free via Google’s “Results about you” tool. This tool enables users to track and remove any compromised data, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails, that may have been exposed in online data breaches.
Recently, researchers uncovered a significant trove of 16 billion stolen and leaked login credentials, potentially putting accounts on platforms like Apple, Gmail, and Facebook at risk of cybercriminal activity. To address this threat, Google’s free dark web report offers a crucial resource for individuals to check if their personal information has been compromised. By navigating to Google’s “Results about you” page, users can input their details and receive alerts via email or the Google app if any search results match their contact information. Within the tool, users can also request removal of any results that include their personal details.
This initiative from Google is part of its ongoing efforts to enhance consumers’ data and privacy protections. In addition to providing the dark web report for free, Google has introduced other measures such as the Privacy Sandbox, a set of technologies designed to safeguard consumer privacy while supporting advertising efforts. The decision to expand access to the dark web report followed the revelation of thousands of privacy-related incidents and concerns from a leaked internal database dating from 2013 to 2018.
