Last year, around 600,000 Indian users fell victim to stolen data that was being sold on the dark web, making India the most heavily impacted country in this regard, stated NordVPN. The mere thought of one’s personal data circulating on the dark web is unsettling. Google has stepped up its efforts to address this issue with valuable security; the Dark Web Report.

Subscribers can activate the feature by creating a profile through the Google One platform, clicking the “Set up > Start monitoring” option under the “Dark web report” section.

Announced at the Google I/O 2023, the technology giant has now launched the Dark Web Report feature for subscribers of Google One in India. This feature has been designed to let users closely monitor their personal information on the dark web, a hub for illicit activities such as the trading of sensitive personal data.

Google highlighted that crucial details like an individual’s full name, birthdate, contact number, email address, and other sensitive information could potentially be exploited for criminal purposes —- financial fraud and identity theft. Google’s system will cross-reference these comprehensive findings with the private data stored in users’ profiles. When a match is detected on the dark web, the security tool will notify users. This mechanism will allow users to take action and protect themselves against potential fraud.

Starting from March 2023, the Dark Web Report feature began its rollout to members of all Google One plans in the United States. At the latest I/O, Google’s Senior Vice President of Core Services, Jen Fitzpatrick, revealed that the Dark Web Report was initially available only to Google One subscribers in the U.S. However, the company is now expanding access to this tool in the coming weeks. This means that anyone with a Gmail account in the U.S. will be able to conduct scans to ascertain whether their Gmail address appears on the dark web. Accordingly, users will receive guidance on the necessary steps to safeguard themselves.