Google One Dark Web Report Feature Announced, VPN Access Expanded to Users on All Plans

Google One launched a new dark Web report feature for users in the US. The feature will help customers monitor their personal information on the darkest corners of the Internet. The company has now expanded access to VPN by Google One to all plans. The service was previously only accessible to users subscribed to the Premium 2TB plan. Google recently rolled out support for its Magic Eraser feature and HDR effects for videos to Google One subscribers and older Pixel smartphones.

The tech giant on Wednesday introduced a new dark Web report feature to all Google One members in the US. It is claimed to help a user scan the dark Web for their personal info — like their name, address, email, phone number and Social Security Number — and will notify them if a match is found.

When the dark Web report feature is enabled, users enter and select the information they want to monitor in the monitoring profile. If any matching information is discovered on the dark Web, the feature will notify the user and provides guidance on how to secure that information. Google notes as an example, if they discover someone's Social Security number on the dark Web, they may advise the user to report it as stolen to the government or take steps to protect their credit information.

The dark Web report feature on Google One
Photo Credit: Google

In addition to results matching the personal information users have on the monitoring profile, the dark Web report will show other related information that may be found in security breaches and data leaks. The information in a user's monitoring profile is handled in accordance with Google's privacy policies, and the users can delete or stop tracking at any time. The dark Web report will be available to members of all Google One plans in the US over the next few weeks.

Google is also expanding VPN access to all Google One members, including the Basic plan, which starts at $1.99/month (roughly Rs. 160), starting today and rolling out over the course of several upcoming weeks, across Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac systems in 22 countries. The members can also share the VPN with up to five other Google One subscribers if they're included in the primary Google One plan.

A VPN — or virtual private network — acts as an additional security layer, encrypting a user's internet activity and protecting it from hackers and network operators (which may include the internet service provider, carrier or public Wi-Fi provider). It also hides users' IP addresses from websites and apps, which could also be used to track their activity over time or determine their location.