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As Google admits in the email alert, its dark web scans didn’t offer much help. “Feedback showed that it did not provide helpful next steps,” Google said of the service. Here’s the full text of the email.
With other types of personal data alerts provided by the company, it has the power to do something. For example, you can have Google remove pages from search that list your personal data. Google doesn’t run anything on the dark web, though, so all it can do is remind you that your data is being passed around in one of the shadier corners of the Internet.
The shutdown begins on January 15, when Google will stop conducting new scans for user data on the dark web. Past data will no longer be available as of February 16, 2026. Google says it will delete all past reports at that time. However, users can remove their monitoring profile earlier in the account settings. This change does not impact any of Google’s other privacy reports.
The good news is that the best ways to protect your personal data from being shuffled around the dark web are the same ones that keep you safe on the open web. Google suggests always using two-step verification, and tools like Passkeys and Google’s password checkup can ensure you don’t accidentally reuse a compromised password. Stay safe out there.
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