Elaine Jean Tech 10.28.2021 11:Oct AM EDT

Google Tool to Delete Photos of Minors: How To Remove Image of Minors Online

Google has released a Google tool to help assist guardians of minors and minors in removing their photos from search results.

Minors and their parents can now request that photographs of them be removed from Google search results.

In an announcement by Google, the firm announced the launch of a feature that will allow parents and children under the age of 18 to request that photos be removed from the images tab or that thumbnails in search results no longer appear.

Google's Effort on Safeguarding Minors

The tech company has previously provided options for consumers to request the removal of personal information and photos that fall into categories like "non-consensual explicit" or "financial, medical, and national ID."

It is now expanding this to include images of children.

The majority understands that children and teenagers have specific issues online, particularly when a problematic photograph of them becomes publicly available. This change, Google hope, will give young people greater choice over their digital footprint and where their photographs appear in Search.

Users can now mark URLs of any photos or search results that contain images they want to be removed using the new form.

Furthermore, Google stated its staff will analyze each submission and contact guardians if more information is needed to confirm the removal requirements.

Unfortunately, the firm stressed that this will not completely erase the image off the internet; users will need to contact a website's owner to request that the information be deleted.

Image Removal by Google

The search engine giant will guide how kids, teens, and families can use a new Google Search option that provides minors more control over their photographs.

However, while Google already offers a number of tools for people who want to remove anything from its Search feature, the company takes into consideration that children and teenagers face specific hurdles online, particularly when a photograph of them becomes publicly available.

Anyone under the age of 18, as well as their parent or guardian, can now request that their photographs be removed from search results by following a few simple steps.

This implies that these images will not appear in Google Search's Images tab or as thumbnails in any feature.

How to ask for minors' photographs to be removed from Google search results

According to Google, if you're under the age of 18 and want an image of yourself removed from Google results, you - or your parent, guardian, or authorized representative - can do so by following these steps:

To learn more about the information you'll need to supply when filling out the request form, go to the new policy's help page.
Begin your removal request by filling out the form on this support page.
To report the imagery that appears in search results, fill out the form. Include details such as Image URLs of any photos you wish removed URLs of any search results pages that contain the images
Images can be found by using search query phrases.

Google's staff will analyze your request and contact you if they require any additional information to ensure it meets the conditions for removal.

If the image satisfies the conditions they have set up, representatives from the company will also notify guardians once the requested images have been taken down.