Google has launched a new feature which enables users to manage their own identity on the web as they relate to Google services and search engine results.
Google product manager Andreas Tuerk wrote on the Google blog that it had become easier and easier to publish information online, via social networking sites, photo sharing services and more.
While acknowledging that many sites offer a variety of identity controls, Tuerk pointed out that some aspects are “determined not only by what you post, but also by what others post about you,” he said.
Tuerk unveiled a new ‘Me on the Web’ section of the recently launched Google Dashboard which displays all related information associated with a given Google account. Many will be surprised just how wide the Google net spreads.
‘Me on the Web’ essentially uses the pre existing Google alerts system, adding suggested identity items such as name and private information. There’s also a simple way to check to see what web pages already match the queries. Any new mentions will automatically be emailed to the user.
Google also provided a mechanism to request the urgent removal of private information from the web, the first time such a removal mechanism has appeared although Google stressed it was a method of last resort.
“This is just one of our first steps in continuing to explore ways to help make managing your identity online simpler,” Tuerk said.
Read the official Google blog here.