Google to Discontinue Dark Web Monitoring Service in 2026, Citing Lack of Actionable Guidance

Google has announced it will shut down its Dark Web Report tool in February 2026, less than two years after making it widely available. The company stated that user feedback indicated the tool provided general information but did not offer clear, actionable steps for users to protect themselves. Key dates include the cessation of new scans on January 15, 2026, and the complete retirement of the feature on February 16, 2026. Google will delete all associated user data at that time but allows users to delete their monitoring profiles manually beforehand. The tool, initially launched for Google One subscribers and later expanded to all users, scanned the dark web for personal information like names, emails, and Social Security numbers. Google is now encouraging users to adopt other security measures like passkeys and to use its "Results about you" tool to remove personal information from search results. 

https://thehackernews.com/2025/12/google-to-shut-down-dark-web-monitoring.html

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