Google is at the center of the digital lives of billions of people, whether with the search engine or with the Android applications and mobiles that we use daily. But there are times when our digital life undergoes a disruption, and it is important to react in time to avoid major problems; We are talking about what is called the “Dark Web”, the “dark” part of the Internet that the vast majority of Internet users do not visit or do not know.
The Deep Web is not accessible with a simple browser like the traditional web; it operates on a separate network that was designed with anonymity and privacy as top priorities. While this has its advantages, it has also facilitated the birth of a Dark Web, made up of pages and forums with malicious intentions, where criminals, hackers, hitmen and drug traffickers.
Personal information is very valuable on the Dark Web, and it is not uncommon for the data of millions of people to be published on its pages without their knowledge or consent. Fortunately, it is not necessary to access the Dark Web to know if they are trafficking our data; Since last year, Google has offered in Europe a tool to analyze the Dark Web for mentions of our personal data. However, it was reserved for paying users of Google One, the company’s subscription service.
Now Google is going to create this tool free for all users; The only thing you will need is a regular Google account to be able to use the feature. Google One users have already been notified that the Dark Web report will no longer be available in the app as it was until now; and displays a link for more information on the support page.
This support page is the one that explains that the Dark Web report will be available to all users, with the only requirement of having a Google account. The change will happen end of JulySo we won’t have to wait long to have access to the tool, even if it is not yet available to the general public.
The Dark Web report only requires an email address; Once entered, Google will display personal data associated with that address that has been shared on the Dark Web, including the following:
- Your name
- Address
- Phone number
- Social Security Number (U.S. only)
- username
- Password
While the dark web email search will be free, Google warns that only paid Google One users will be able to use the tool’s advanced features. These include continuous monitoring of the dark web for personal information, getting results other than email addresses, and notifications when new results are found.
