Google now lets you request the removal of search results that contain personal data

Google is releasing a tool that makes it easier to remove search results containing your address, phone number and other personally identifiable information, 9to5Google has reported. It first revealed the “results about you” feature at I/O 2022 in May, describing it as a way to “help you easily control whether your personally-identifiable information can be found in Search results.” 

If you see a result with your phone number, home address or email, you can click on the three-dot menu at the top right. That opens the usual “About this result” panel, but it now contains a new “Remove result” option at the bottom of the screen. A dialog states that if the result contains one of those three things, “we can review your request more quickly.”

Google results about you privacy tool
Google

You can then monitor the request in a new menu item in the Google app called “Results about you,” available by tapping your user profile at the top right. You can then monitor the progress of requests via filters “All requests,” “In progress” and “Approved.” 

The same page also lets you make a new request with a “Why would you like to remove this result” step. Options there include “It shows my personal contact info,” “It shows my contact into with an intent to harm me,” “It shows other personal info,” “It contains illegal info” and “It’s outdated.” Previously, though, Google has said that not all requests may be granted:

It’s important to note that when we receive removal requests, we will evaluate all content on the web page to ensure that we’re not limiting the availability of other information that is broadly useful, for instance in news articles. And of course, removing contact information from Google Search doesn’t remove it from the web, which is why you may wish to contact the hosting site directly, if you’re comfortable doing so.

The new feature has only rolled out to a limited number of users in the US and Europe, 9to5Google notes (I’ve yet to see it in France and I’m in the Google app beta). In the meantime, you can remove other personally identifiable information or doxxing content from Google Search via a removal request — there’s more information about that available here.

Twitch is banning major gambling websites in October

Twitch has announced a significant change to its policy amidst rising concerns about the presence of gambling streams on the platform. On Twitter, Twitch said it will prohibit the streaming of gambling websites that feature slots, roulette and dice games unlicensed in the US and other regions that “provide sufficient consumer protection.” The policy change will take effect on October 18th, and Twitch promises to release the full policy language and more details before that date.

So far, the list of banned sites include some of the most well-known ones out there, including Stake.com, Rollbit.com, Duelbits.com and Roobet.com. Not a surprise, since you could already find plenty of streams on Twitch with gambling content from those domains. Twitch says that it “may identify others” going forward, so the list of banned websites will likely grow longer. The website will continue allowing websites that focus on certain types of gambling content, though, including sports betting, fantasy sports and poker. 

Twitch issued the statement after some of the platform’s most popular streamers, including Pokimane and DevinNash, threatened to boycott it on Christmas week if it doesn’t ban gambling streams and sponsorships. They banded together in response to one streamer’s admission that he had scammed followers and fellow streamers out of around $200,000 to feed his addiction to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. As Kotaku explains, CS:GO features weapon skins that have real-world monetary value, and gambling websites use them as casino chips. The revelation reopened the discussion of gambling streams on Twitch in a big way, with people pointing out that they could lead to deceitful behavior by streamers and could be damaging to the website’s young users.

Apple listened to your complaints and is changing iOS 16’s battery percentage icon

Ever since the world got its first look at iOS 16’s reintroduced battery percentage indicator at the start of last month, people have voiced strong opinions about the icon. Many, including Engadget Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low, felt Apple could have done…

GM wants to help shape the EPA’s next clean car standard

GM wants to exclusively sell electric vehicles by 2035, and it’s now trying to nudge the US government toward the same goal. The automaker has teamed up with an advocacy group, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), to develop recommended principles for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) car emissions standards from the 2027 model year onward. The guidelines are meant to accelerate EV adoption in a socially conscious way — and, of course, help GM’s bottom line.

The brand wants standards that ensure at least half of new vehicles sold by are zero-emissions by 2030, with a 60 percent reduction in emissions across a lineup compared to 2021. They need to address multiple pollution sources (such as CO2, nitrogen oxides and particles) and be “performance-based,” GM argues. The company also believes there should be an optional pathway to speed up the launch of breakthrough emissions-reducing technology, and that standards should ensure the benefits of reduced pollution apply to everyone (such as vulnerable communities). Not surprisingly, GM hopes for tight coordination between the public and private realms, including complementary investments.

GM and the EDF want a quick decision process. They’d like the standards to be proposed this fall, and completed by fall 2023. The standards should last until 2032 at a minimum, the partners said, but they also hoped the EPA would extend that to 2035.

There might not be much opposition to the basic concept. President Biden already wants half of new vehicles to be emissions-free by 2030, and the EPA reversed Trump-era standards rollbacks in December. Meanwhile, California, Massachusetts and New York State expect to ban sales of new gas-powered cars by 2035 and frequently push for stricter standards than the federal government. The principles and resulting EPA standards would theoretically help politicians reach these targets sooner by encouraging manufacturers to electrify their fleets quickly.

Whether or not GM and the EDF get their way isn’t clear. The EPA isn’t guaranteed to take the principles to heart, and a change of presidents could lead to weaker rules. We’d add that GM has altered its stance on emissions reductions depending on who’s in office. The firm backed the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke waivers letting California set tougher requirements, only to change its tune after Biden won the 2020 election. Still, we wouldn’t expect GM to back out any time soon. The company has staked its future on EVs, and it stands to profit if the market shifts to eco-friendly vehicles a little sooner.

Amazon is holding its annual hardware event on September 28th

Amazon will host a hardware event on September 28th at 12PM ET, the company announced today. The invite the retailer sent to Engadget didn’t include many details, promising only that it would share news about “our latest Amazon devices, features, and services.” Incidentally, the event will fall exactly one year to the date of its 2021 hardware showcase. 

Last year’s event was full of offbeat products, with Astro, the company’s Alexa-powered robot on wheels, stealing the show. Other highlights included the Echo Show 15 and Glow, a kid-focused teleconferencing device. The company also announced more iterative updates in the form of the Halo View fitness band and Ring Alarm Pro. Amazon won’t stream the event, but you can expect comprehensive coverage from Engadget.

The US Space Force’s new anthem proves it’s just another boring government entity

Three years after becoming the newest branch of the US Armed Forces, the Space Force has an official song. Titled “Semper Supra” (or “Always Above,” if you’re not a fan of Latin), the tune made its debut on Tuesday at the 2022 Air, Space and Cyber Conf…

American Airlines says hackers obtained some customer and employee data

American Airlines says that hackers may have obtained personal information for a “very small number” of customers and employees. The company did not say exactly how many people were impacted, though it noted there’s no evidence that the attackers have misused the information. It told affected customers that names, driver’s license and passport numbers, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and medical information may have been compromised.

The hackers gained access to American’s email system through a phishing campaign, as the Associated Press reported. The company told regulators in Montana that it discovered the intrusion in July. It started informing affected customers last week. American says it has secured the breached email accounts and brought in a third-party cybersecurity firm to investigate.

American said it’s putting more technical measures in place to prevent similar breaches from occurring. The company has also offered customers affected by the breach two years of identity theft-protection coverage.

An American Airlines spokesperson provided the following statement to Engadget:

“American Airlines is aware of a phishing campaign that led to the unauthorized access to a limited number of team member mailboxes. A very small number of customers and employees’ personal information was contained in those email accounts. While we have no evidence that any personal information has been misused, data security is of the utmost importance and we offered customers and team members precautionary support. We are also currently implementing additional technical safeguards to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future.”

The iPhone 14 Pro isn’t as easy to repair as the other new models

So much for the iPhone 14’s surprisingly repairable design extending across the lineup. iFixit has completed a teardown of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and the easier-to-fix internals haven’t carried over. Break the back glass and you’ll have a harder time repairing it yourself — or an expensive ($549 in the US) Apple Store visit if your device is out of warranty. While Apple never said the Pro models would receive this upgrade, it’s worth considering if you plan to keep your phone running with a little surgery.

It’s not clear why Apple didn’t rethink internals across the entire iPhone 14 range. iFixit speculates that Apple wanted to limit potential delays, particularly given the supply chain risks involved with the Pro family’s new camera and display technologies. We’ve asked Apple for comment, but it won’t be surprising if more accessible innards come with future generations.

The teardown has a few additional surprises. On US versions of the iPhone 14 line, Apple hasn’t replaced the newly removed SIM tray with anything else. This is more to push eSIM adoption than to save space, then. iFixit also couldn’t pinpoint a dedicated satellite antenna for emergency communication, suggesting that Apple might be using the usual cellular or WiFi antennas to send SOS messages.

The overall repairability of the iPhone 14 Pro “isn’t terrible” outside of the requirement to activate parts, according to iFixit. Unless Apple harmonizes its design, though, do-it-yourself repair enthusiasts will have to make sacrifices if they want an iPhone they can fix with relatively little difficulty.

Hertz to purchase 175,000 General Motors EVs over the next five years

Hertz is once again growing its EV fleet, announcing Tuesday that it has struck a deal with General Motors to purchase 175,000 electric vehicles from the automaker’s Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac and BrightDrop brands over the next five years. Customers will see the first offerings, namely the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, arrive on Hertz lots beginning in the first quarter next year. 

The deal, which runs through 2027, will bring a wide variety of models to Hertz’s growing EV herd. Between now and 2027, the rental company expects its customers to drive about 8 billion miles in said EVs, preventing an estimated 3.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released. Hertz plans to convert a quarter of its rental fleet to battery electric by 2024. 

This news follows Hertz’s 65,000-vehicle order from Polestar in April, which the performance EV maker has already begun deliveries on. An earlier announcement in 2021 had many believing that Tesla would be supplying the Hertz fleet with 100,000 vehicles, worth an estimated $4.2 billion, was quickly kiboshed by Tesla CEO, Elon Musk. Hertz is already planning to rent 50,000 Tesla EVs to Uber drivers, which now operate in 25 North American cities, there’s no word on whether GM’s vehicles will be offered under similar terms.

For folks who are already in line, having ordered a GM EV and are waiting on delivery, don’t fret. This deal with Hertz shouldn’t impact your existing delivery date. “Our first priority is delivering vehicles to customers holding reservations,” a GM rep told Engadget via email Tuesday. “GM is installing capacity to meet demand from all customers, with annual capacity in North America rising to more than one million units in 2025.”