Terry Cane, COO of global SSL service domain registration and SEO hosting provider SEOHost.net (https://www.seohost.net), praised the release of a new policy released by Google in late October but noted that it was only the first step.
On October 27, 2021, Google announced that it will now remove images of minors from its search results at the request of either the minor or their guardians. This is the latest in a promised series of changes by the search engine in the interest of better protecting the privacy and mental well-being of children and teens. The process starts with filling out a form with the URL of the target image, at which point Google will scrub that image from search results.
However, it was careful to emphasize that even if an image is no longer on the search engine results page (SERP), it is still on the Internet.
“In the wake of October’s revelations about Facebook, this announcement from Google feels especially timely,” says Cane. “And it’s a step in the right direction — allowing minors greater control over their online presence is absolutely crucial to keeping them healthy and safe. Yet Google seems almost to be an outlier with this initiative.”
Other measures taken by the search engine include blocking ad targeting based on gender, age, or interests for users under 18 and modifications to the default privacy settings on YouTube uploads for minors. Since 2014, Google has also maintained a right to be forgotten policy in Europe, allowing users to request that results containing their personal data be removed from the SERP.
“We need other companies to follow Google’s lead,” Cane continues. “If there’s one thing the last two years have demonstrated to us, it’s that not enough businesses prioritize the well-being of their audience. Silicon Valley must do more, especially as we move increasingly towards a connected, digital world.”
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Located in Orlando, Florida, with locations worldwide, SEOHost.Net provides a wide range of services in both the U.S. and the E.U., including domain registration, SSL Hosting for SEO, and VPS, dedicated, and A-Class IP hosting. The company offers exceptional service with a strong service level agreement, multiple geographic locations, and free migration. For more information, visit https://www.seohost.net.
Source: https://www.prweb.com/releases/seohost_net_principal_google_s_new_tool_is_an_important_first_step/prweb18375804.htm
