Tag Archives: caveat

Technology

This Secret Google Feature Will Search The Dark Web For Your Email Address: Here’s How To Use It

Before we delve into the details, please note that while you can access Dark Web Reports with free Google accounts, continuous monitoring requires a paid account. The same goes for searching for more than just your email address. However, any tier of a paid Google One account can fulfill this requirement. In fact, even the introductory $2.99 per month for 200GB tier guarantees you the full version of the Dark Web Scan. This is applicable to those who are paying for additional Google Drive space.

To run a Dark Web Report on a desktop browser, follow these steps:

  1. Go to One.Google.com.
  2. Click on “Try now” under Dark web report.
  3. Click “Run scan”.

That’s all there is to it. If you have a paid account, you will have the option to choose which other information from your account you want to search for. You can also choose to fill in any missing information (such as your Social Security Number) that you want to be included in the search. However, this step is not mandatory.

For mobile users (currently available on Android and soon on iOS), here are the steps to follow:

  1. Open the Google App.
  2. Tap on the account menu located in the top right corner.
  3. Select “Dark Web Report” from the resulting menu.

Keep in mind that the amount of information you feel comfortable sharing with Google may vary. However, even if you provide Google with just the basic information you have already given in the past, it is still highly recommended to use this feature.

Smartphones

This Android Feature Could Save Your Life In An Emergency

A quick caveat before we get into how to set this up: There is no secret code that grants paramedics and emergency room staff access to whatever medical information you store on your phone using this feature. Anyone who knows about this feature can find that information if they have access to your phone. Basically, you need to consider whatever you enter just as visible as it would be if you were wearing it on a bracelet, or had a card with the information in your wallet. You need to take it as seriously as the other Android privacy settings.

Also: If you have Android 12 or lower, then you need to grab the Personal Safety app from the Google Play Store before you can go forward. With that out of the way, here’s how you add your emergency medical information:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down to Safety & Emergency and tap that option.
  3. Depending on what kind of Android phone you have, there will be an option named Medical Info or Open Personal Safety or words to that effect. Tap that option.
  4. Fill out whichever fields you want emergency personnel to be able to find out about from checking your phone.
  5. Tap Save.

That’s it. For someone to access that emergency medical info, it’s even simpler:

  1. Tap the power button to wake the phone.
  2. Swipe up on the lock screen.
  3. Tap Emergency > View Emergency Info.

If you’re comfortable with using this option and have a medical condition that your doctors would need to know about in an emergency, then it’s well worth exploring.