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New Google tool makes removing personal information easier

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New Google tool makes removing personal information easier

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While Google has steadily strengthened its privacy and security stance, many users may not have noticed the gradual rollout of new privacy resources. Now Google is making it easier than ever to take control of your personal information online.

Originally launched in 2022, the “Results About You” tool helps you find and request the removal of your personal information from Google Search results. However, the tool was previously hard to find within both the web interface and mobile app. With the latest redesign, Google has made this feature more visible, accessible and better integrated into its ecosystem.

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Google search engine on a smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Key improvements to Google’s privacy tool

Google’s recent updates focus on two main areas: improved accessibility and enhanced monitoring options.

1. Better accessibility

Previously, the removal tool was buried within Google’s interface. Now, you can request removal of personal information directly from the three-dot menu next to any search result. Here’s how:

  • Search for your name or personal information on Google.com.
  • Click the three-dot menu next to the search result you want removed.
  • Select Remove result.

Google’s removal tool (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

  • Choose the reason for removal, such as “It shows my personal info and I don’t want it there.”

Google’s removal tool (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

  • Select the type of personal info included and follow the prompts.

Google’s removal tool (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

  • Other removal options include legal reasons (such as copyright or illegal activity) or outdated information (content that is no longer accurate).

Note: Removal from Google Search does not remove the information from the original website. You may need to contact the website owner for complete removal.

DATA REMOVAL DOES WHAT VPNS DON’T: HERE’S WHY YOU NEED BOTH

2) Enhanced monitoring options

With “Results about you,” you can set up alerts to let you know if information about you shows up on the internet. You can choose to have notifications sent to your email or as an alert through the Google app. To access Google’s “Results About You” directly, you can follow the steps below.

In the Google app:

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  • Log into your Google account.
  • Open Menu and click your profile picture or initial.
  • Under the Menu, click Results about you.

On mobile or desktop web browser:

  • Open your web browser on your phone or desktop and go here.
  • Click the Get started button.

Enhanced monitoring option (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

  • Enter your name and click the Continue button.
  • Enter at least one piece of contact information (home address, phone number or email address) then click Continue.

Enhanced monitoring option (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

In the “Confirm the details” dialogue:

  • Confirm the correct information to monitor.
  • Toggle the way you’d like to receive the alerts (email or Google app).
  • Check the box to confirm that the information you provided is yours.
  • Click the Save button.

Enhanced monitoring option (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Privacy note: While giving another tech company your personal information seems counterintuitive, Google states that the information you provide for this tool will not be used to personalize your experience or for advertising purposes. However, always review Google’s privacy policy for the latest details.

QR CODES ARE CHOPPING AWAY AT YOUR PRIVACY

Additional considerations

  • Review process: Google reviews all removal requests to ensure they meet policy requirements; not all requests are guaranteed approval.
  • Availability: As of now, this feature is available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Thailand.

Easy alternative to Google’s tool: Data removal service

While Google’s tool is a powerful starting point, it only affects what appears in Google Search. For broader removal, especially from data broker sites, you might consider investing in a personal data removal service, which contacts data brokers on your behalf to request removal of your personal information. 

While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Google has made it easier and more visible to manage your personal information in search results, with better accessibility and monitoring. However, true removal of your information from the internet may require contacting website owners or using third-party data removal services. As privacy threats like identity theft and scams grow, using these tools is an important step in protecting yourself online.

Have you ever googled yourself online? Have you taken any steps to protect your online privacy? What concerns do you still have? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

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Samsung ‘Wide Fold’ rumored to rival Apple’s foldable next year

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Samsung ‘Wide Fold’ rumored to rival Apple’s foldable next year

Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is set to arrive next year, and already faces some preemptive competition from Samsung. Korea’s ET News reports that Samsung’s upcoming “Wide Fold” is also set to launch in 2026, and will closely mirror the display size and 4:3 aspect ratio of Apple’s first foldable.

The machine-translated report says the Wide Fold is expected to feature an OLED display that measures 5.4 inches in its folded position, and 7.6 inches when unfolded. “It will be a ‘passport’ type with a 4:3 screen ratio when unfolded,” according to an unnamed industry source cited by ET News.

Last week, The Information reported that Apple’s upcoming foldable will feature a 5.3-inch display that increases to 7.7 inches when open, and will have an aspect ratio “similar to that of Apple’s largest iPads when viewed in landscape mode,” and will be “more wide than tall when unfolded.” Most iPad models sport a near 4:3 aspect ratio. This was the latest rumor that pointed to Apple’s first foldable iPhone having a wide aspect ratio in portrait mode, though Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in September that the device would look like two iPhone Airs stuck together.

Both Samsung and Apple’s upcoming foldables are expected to launch in Fall 2026. The 4:3 aspect ratio is better for reading e-books and documents, viewing photographs, or creative tasks like design and image editing, but would result in traditional landscape and portrait videos having ugly black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. This is something that’s already noticeable on Samsung’s squarish Z Fold 7.

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Bionic hand brings baseball star back to the field

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Bionic hand brings baseball star back to the field

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At 18, Jamie Grohsong was living a dream many young athletes chase for years. He was a three-time all-conference shortstop, a Division I college prospect and a player who lived for the game. Then one Fourth of July night in 2023, everything changed. A firework exploded in his hand. In seconds, Jamie lost his pitching hand, his season and what felt like his entire baseball future. The path he had worked toward since childhood disappeared. For a while, Jamie accepted that reality. Baseball, the sport that shaped his identity, was over.

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AI-POWERED BAT TRACKING COULD GIVE BASEBALL PLAYERS THE EDGE

Jamie Grohsong throws a baseball using a bionic prosthetic hand after losing his pitching hand in a fireworks accident. His return shows how technology can help athletes reclaim what they love. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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When technology reopens a closed door

Two years later, Jamie stepped back onto a baseball field wearing something he never imagined using. A bionic prosthetic known as the Ability Hand.

“The fact that I can feel and sense everything to the finest details opened my mind to the possibility of everything that could actually be done,” he told CyberGuy. 

The goal was not to recreate the past. It was to find out what might still be possible.

Engineers who build advanced prosthetic hands saw Jamie’s story and reached out with a simple question. What if he did not have to give up the game entirely? That question started an extraordinary journey that blended grit, patience and cutting-edge engineering.

“When building the Ability Hand, we prioritized real-life usage,” Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, founder and CEO of PSYONIC, told CyberGuy. “While we already put the hand through its fair share of stress tests, baseball is a whole different ball game.” 

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Baseball is definitely a brutal test for any piece of equipment. Throwing requires precise release timing. Hitting demands force, stability and follow-through. At first, nothing came easily.

Learning how to throw again

Throwing a baseball with a bionic hand is not about raw strength. It is about timing and grip. The Ability Hand uses muscle sensors that detect subtle movements in the arm. During a throw, many muscles activate at once, which can cause the hand to open too early. Early throws slipped away. Some felt right. Others did not.

Instead of forcing the hand to grip harder, the PSYONIC team adjusted the technique. Jamie learned to hold the ball lightly and let momentum release it naturally. Small grip changes made a real difference. Slowly, throws began to land. Then they became repeatable. For Jamie, each clean throw rebuilt confidence that had been missing for two years.

3D PRINTED CORNEA RESTORES SIGHT IN WORLD FIRST

A former Division I baseball prospect, Jamie Grohsong steps back onto the field with a bionic hand, redefining what is possible after life-altering injury. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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The surprise moment at Oracle Park

Just as Jamie started throwing again, another door opened. He received an invitation to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park. It was the team he grew up watching. The timeline was tight. He had barely over a week to prepare.

The pitch was not perfect. That never mattered. Standing on a Major League Baseball field with a bionic hand, Jamie proved something bigger than accuracy. He showed that the game was still part of him. Later, he said the experience taught him that life does not require perfection to be meaningful.

FULLY IMPLANTABLE BRAIN CHIP AIMS TO RESTORE REAL SPEECH

Wearing a multi-articulating bionic hand, Jamie Grohsong proves baseball is still part of his identity two years after a devastating accident. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Can you actually hit with a bionic hand?

Throwing was only part of the challenge. Hitting posed an even bigger question. 

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“Swinging a bat was a feeling I didn’t think I’d feel again,” Jamie said.

Engineers discovered that bat placement matters more with prosthetics than with natural hands. When the bionic hand serves as the bottom hand on the bat, impact spreads across the fingers. When it sits on top, stress concentrates on the thumb. Jamie bats left-handed, which placed the prosthetic in a safer position. He told CyberGuy, “I can hit with this thing for sure.”

Then came the first swings. The sensation was unfamiliar. The contact felt strange. Still, the bat met the ball. One swing turned into another. Soon, balls started flying deep into the field. Then it happened. Jamie sent one over the fence.

A world-first moment

Those swings marked what many believe to be the first documented home runs hit using a multi-articulating bionic hand. For Jamie, it was more than a technical milestone. It was emotional closure and a new beginning at the same time. He was not trying to prove that prosthetics make athletes better. He was proving that they can help people reconnect with what they love. The bionic hand did not replace his identity. It gave him a new way to express it.

SMART FABRIC MUSCLES COULD CHANGE HOW WE MOVE

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Jamie Grohsong learns to throw and hit again with a bionic prosthetic, blending determination with cutting-edge engineering. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What this story says about resilience and design

Jamie’s comeback highlights a larger truth about modern assistive technology. At its best, design focuses on real-life use rather than lab conditions. Even so, advanced prosthetics remain expensive and imperfect, and they can break under stress. Because of that, users need time, training and patience to adapt. Yet stories like this show how powerful thoughtful engineering can be when it works alongside human determination. Ultimately, this is not about superhero moments but about access, persistence and refusing to let one moment define a lifetime.

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Kurt’s key takeaways 

Jamie Grohsong’s journey back to baseball is not a story about beating the odds. It is a story about redefining them. With support, innovation and relentless effort, he found a way back to the field on his own terms. Technology did not give him his old life back. It helped him build a new one that still includes the game he loves.

Has technology ever helped you reconnect with something you thought you had lost? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
 

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Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

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Frozen Waymos backed up San Francisco traffic during a widespread power outage

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Frozen Waymos backed up San Francisco traffic during a widespread power outage

A power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday that blacked out about 130,000 customers at its peak, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, but also caused another problem: stranded Waymo vehicles. Posts all over social media showed the company’s autonomous SUVs sitting still in the streets and causing traffic jams.

Some people posted videos of Teslas using their FSD feature to navigate the same streets, and Elon Musk tweeted that “Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage.” On Sunday evening, Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion said “We are resuming ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

In response to an inquiry from The Verge, Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion sent a statement saying, “We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco. We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work.” PG&E reported as of 7AM PT that “Crews have restored about 110,000 customers and PG&E continues to work on restoring the remaining 21,000 customers, primarily in the Presidio, Richmond District, Golden Gate Park and small areas of downtown San Francisco,” as it continued repairs after a fire at a five-story power substation.

After this story was published, Philion sent a second statement:

We are resuming ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events.

“Throughout the outage, we closely coordinated with San Francisco city officials. We are focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event, and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.

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Exactly why the cars weren’t moving remains unclear, with no public updates we could find on the company’s social media channels, but speculation centered on spotty wireless data connections, with cell towers either down or overloaded by people who no longer had access to Wi-Fi, and/or the street lights that weren’t operating without power.

These problems have occurred before, though, as seen in TikTok videos from earlier this year showing Waymos frozen by a malfunctioning street light and during a power outage in Austin, Texas. In a reply to a Reddit post showing another similar situation last year, someone saying they were a former employee commented explaining that the vehicle would send a request to a remote assistant and wait for their response before proceeding.

According to a company blog post, it reaches out to a human response agent when the car encounters “unique interactions,” providing them with live and recorded views from its cameras in addition to a 3D map of what the sensors are picking up. However, those may require bandwidth that’s hard to find during a significant power outage. I couldn’t find any statistics on how many remote assistance operators Waymo has available at a given time, but in November, the company announced it passed a third-party audit by Tüv Süd, a German tech inspection company that evaluated its remote assistance program against industry best practices.

Update, December 21st: Added updated statement from Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion.

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