Removing Outdated Links to Data Brokers with the Optery Ultimate Plan and Google’s Remove Outdated Content Tool
After successfully removing your profile from a data broker, you'll likely see in its place a page displaying something like "Page Not Found" or "No results for that name".
However, if you search Google or Bing, you may still see an old link to that data broker profile page, along with cached information about you, in the search results for a few days or even up to several weeks. The next time Google re-crawls the page, which may take up to several weeks, your out-dated information will be removed from its results.
If you'd like to expedite the removal of your information from search engine caches, you can submit the old link to tools like Google’s Remove Outdated Content Tool and Bing’s Content Removal Tool. These requests are typically processed within 1–3 business days:
https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
By facilitating the removal of outdated or missing content, Google and Bing aim to maintain accurate, high-quality search results. Google’s Outdated Content Removal Tool helps to quickly remove outdated results from Google, which can also reduce the availability of sensitive information which may have formerly been posted by data brokers.
As of November 2024, Optery is now automatically submitting outdated content removal requests to Google and Bing for Ultimate Plan customers. If you sign up for an Optery Ultimate plan, requests will automatically be submitted to Google and Bing to remove your profiles from its cache on an expedited basis. This was one of our most requested features, and we're excited to provide it to our Ultimate plan customers.
A few important terms regarding this new feature:
Only data brokers specifically covered by the Optery Ultimate plan are eligible for Google and Bing Outdated Content removal tool submissions. The data brokers specifically covered by the Optery Ultimate plan are defined here: https://www.optery.com/pricing/#data-brokers-we-cover
Data brokers submitted via Custom Removals are not eligible for Google and Bing Outdated Content. No sites submitted via the Custom Removals workflow are eligible for Google and Bing Outdated Content removal tool submissions.
As part of Optery's commitment to customer satisfaction and privacy, we will attempt to fulfill our Ultimate plan customers' Google and Bing Outdated Content removal requests to as many Ultimate plan data brokers as possible, however, Optery makes no representations, warranties, promises or guarantees whatsoever regarding the success or timing of removals from the Google and Bing Outdated Content tool, and we reserve the right to reject any and all Google and Bing Outdated Content removal requests at at any time, without notice and at our full discretion. You are welcome to submit your own removal requests to the Google and Bing Outdated Content removal tool to expedite the process even further.
Optery's automatic outdated content removal requests feature for Google and Bing is currently in Alpha. We are actively testing and improving this feature, and it remains a work in progress. Additionally, Optery reserves the right to discontinue this feature at any time, without notice and at our full discretion.
The good news is outdated data broker profiles should age out of Google's and Bing's cache on their own. However, if you're in a hurry, you can submit the removal requests to Google or Bing yourself here:
Google
https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
Bing
https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/bing-content-removal-tool-cb6c294d
https://www.bing.com/webmasters/tools/contentremoval?src=help
The following sections explain how to use Google’s and Bing’s search engines’ Outdated Content Removal tools with links to resources and step-by-step instructions. For the most current information on Google’s Outdated Content Removal Tool, refer to Google’s support pages directly:
- Remove Outdated Content tool
- Remove select personally identifiable info or doxxing content from Google Search
Access the Remove Outdated Content tool page: https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
Provide the URL of the outdated page or image you wish to remove.
In some cases, you might need to specify one or two words that appeared in the older version of the page but are not present in the updated version.
Click on “Submit”.
Check back periodically to monitor the status of your request.
Access the PII Removal Tool and associated help documentation at https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/9673730?hl=en.
Select why you are initiating the request and enter your country of residence.
Specify the type of personal information exposed.
If applicable, indicate whether the intent is malicious (i.e., are you the victim of doxxing).
Provide contact details such as full name and email address.
After submitting a removal request, you receive an automated email confirmation. The request is evaluated based on criteria and public interest.
Both Optery’s Ultimate plan feature for automatically submitting Outdated Content Removal requests to Google and Bing and Google’s own content removal tools give consumers more control over how and where their personal information appears online. Despite their limitations, these tools offer mechanisms for managing outdated content and personal information in Google search engine results. Following the step-by-step instructions provided in this guide can help you effectively manage your digital identity and privacy.
However, if you search Google or Bing, you may still see an old link to that data broker profile page, along with cached information about you, in the search results for a few days or even up to several weeks. The next time Google re-crawls the page, which may take up to several weeks, your out-dated information will be removed from its results.
If you'd like to expedite the removal of your information from search engine caches, you can submit the old link to tools like Google’s Remove Outdated Content Tool and Bing’s Content Removal Tool. These requests are typically processed within 1–3 business days:
https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
By facilitating the removal of outdated or missing content, Google and Bing aim to maintain accurate, high-quality search results. Google’s Outdated Content Removal Tool helps to quickly remove outdated results from Google, which can also reduce the availability of sensitive information which may have formerly been posted by data brokers.
Optery Automatically Submits Outdated Content Removal Requests to Google and Bing (including DuckDuckGo) for Ultimate Plan Customers
As of November 2024, Optery is now automatically submitting outdated content removal requests to Google and Bing for Ultimate Plan customers. If you sign up for an Optery Ultimate plan, requests will automatically be submitted to Google and Bing to remove your profiles from its cache on an expedited basis. This was one of our most requested features, and we're excited to provide it to our Ultimate plan customers.
A few important terms regarding this new feature:
Only data brokers specifically covered by the Optery Ultimate plan are eligible for Google and Bing Outdated Content removal tool submissions. The data brokers specifically covered by the Optery Ultimate plan are defined here: https://www.optery.com/pricing/#data-brokers-we-cover
Data brokers submitted via Custom Removals are not eligible for Google and Bing Outdated Content. No sites submitted via the Custom Removals workflow are eligible for Google and Bing Outdated Content removal tool submissions.
As part of Optery's commitment to customer satisfaction and privacy, we will attempt to fulfill our Ultimate plan customers' Google and Bing Outdated Content removal requests to as many Ultimate plan data brokers as possible, however, Optery makes no representations, warranties, promises or guarantees whatsoever regarding the success or timing of removals from the Google and Bing Outdated Content tool, and we reserve the right to reject any and all Google and Bing Outdated Content removal requests at at any time, without notice and at our full discretion. You are welcome to submit your own removal requests to the Google and Bing Outdated Content removal tool to expedite the process even further.
Optery's automatic outdated content removal requests feature for Google and Bing is currently in Alpha. We are actively testing and improving this feature, and it remains a work in progress. Additionally, Optery reserves the right to discontinue this feature at any time, without notice and at our full discretion.
Removing Outdated Content From Google and Bing if you are Not an Optery Ultimate Plan Customer
The good news is outdated data broker profiles should age out of Google's and Bing's cache on their own. However, if you're in a hurry, you can submit the removal requests to Google or Bing yourself here:
https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
Bing
https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/bing-content-removal-tool-cb6c294d
https://www.bing.com/webmasters/tools/contentremoval?src=help
The following sections explain how to use Google’s and Bing’s search engines’ Outdated Content Removal tools with links to resources and step-by-step instructions. For the most current information on Google’s Outdated Content Removal Tool, refer to Google’s support pages directly:
- Remove Outdated Content tool
- Remove select personally identifiable info or doxxing content from Google Search
Instructions for Google's Outdated Content Removal Tool
Access the Remove Outdated Content tool page: https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
Provide the URL of the outdated page or image you wish to remove.
In some cases, you might need to specify one or two words that appeared in the older version of the page but are not present in the updated version.
Click on “Submit”.
Check back periodically to monitor the status of your request.
Instructions for Google’s PII Removal Tool
Access the PII Removal Tool and associated help documentation at https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/9673730?hl=en.
Select why you are initiating the request and enter your country of residence.
Specify the type of personal information exposed.
If applicable, indicate whether the intent is malicious (i.e., are you the victim of doxxing).
Provide contact details such as full name and email address.
After submitting a removal request, you receive an automated email confirmation. The request is evaluated based on criteria and public interest.
Conclusion
Both Optery’s Ultimate plan feature for automatically submitting Outdated Content Removal requests to Google and Bing and Google’s own content removal tools give consumers more control over how and where their personal information appears online. Despite their limitations, these tools offer mechanisms for managing outdated content and personal information in Google search engine results. Following the step-by-step instructions provided in this guide can help you effectively manage your digital identity and privacy.
Updated on: 30/11/2024
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