Google recently announced that it is going to stop its dark web report tool in February 2026. This is not even two years since this tool was launched so that people could check whether their data is available on the dark web.
For this purpose, scans for dark web breaches will be halted on January 15, 2026, and the feature will be eliminated as of February 16, 2026.
"Although the information was generally informative, the feedback is that it was not particularly helpful as follow up information," Google explained in a support page. The change is made to focus on those that will help users take more direct actions to protect their information online.
The tech giant has also revealed that it will remove any information associated with the dark web reporting feature as soon as it is retired in February, but users have the ability to remove their own monitoring profile before the deadline by following the procedures listed below:
- Go to the Dark Web report
- Under "Results with your info," click Edit monitoring profile
- At the bottom, click "Delete monitoring profile" -> Delete
It was announced in March 2023 by Google as a means to curb online identity fraud emanating from information stolen through data breaches and availed on the dark web. The report was designed to scan the darknet for personal data, such as name, address, email, phone number, and Social Security number, and notify users when it's found.
By July 2024, Google expanded the offering beyond the Google One subscribers to include all account holders.
They're also encouraging users to strengthen their account privacy and security by creating a passkey for phishing-resistant MFA and removing their personal information from the results of Google Search through Results about you.
