Google to Shut Down Dark Web Report Feature in 2026
Reporter
December 17, 2025 | 06:46 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Google has announced their latest strategy for cybersecurity for individual users in the coming year. In an email sent to users this week, the Mountain View-based company stated that they will permanently discontinue the Dark Web Report feature in February 2026.
In their official statement, Google detailed the schedule for the closure of this service. The scanning tool will cease to monitor new data leaks on January 15, 2026. One month later, on February 16, 2026, all access to the tool will be completely closed, and all user monitoring profile data will be deleted from Google's servers.
This decision is based on internal evaluations and user feedback. The Dark Web Report feature has worked to search whether users' email addresses, phone numbers, or personal data were being traded by hackers. However, Google found a fundamental weakness in this mechanism.
"Although the dark web reports offer general information, user feedback shows that the reports do not provide useful next steps," the Google team wrote in an email received by Tempo on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
In other words, users are often only informed that their data has leaked, without clear guidance or technical ability to remove that data from the hands of hackers in the dark web. Google now states that it will shift its focus to developing tools that offer clearer and actionable protection steps.
As a replacement for this feature, Google asks users to maximize the existing preventive security features. Users are advised to enable passkey password features, two-step verification for every Google account, and regularly perform security checks on their personal devices.
Google now prioritizes features that allow users to request Google to delete sensitive personal information, such as home addresses or phone numbers, that appear in personal search results. "In general, we will continue to offer tips and tools to help you stay safe online," reads the Google team's statement.
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