According to The How-To Geek, Google is shutting down its dark web report feature, which scanned hidden parts of the internet for users’ stolen personal information. The company is sending emails to everyone who signed up for the service, stating it will stop looking for new results on January 15, 2026. All data from the service will become completely inaccessible and will be deleted starting February 16, 2026. Google’s official reason is that user feedback showed the reports “didn’t provide helpful next steps” after alerting someone their data was found. The service was always opt-in, so if you never activated it, nothing changes for you. This move is part of a shift to focus on other security tools the company says offer more clear, actionable guidance.
Why This Was Probably Doomed
Here’s the thing: Google‘s explanation actually makes a lot of sense. What *are* the helpful next steps if you get a dark web alert? You can change your passwords, sure. For the most severe cases, you might look into a credit freeze or even explore replacing your Social Security number, but that’s a massive hassle. Basically, after the initial panic, your options are pretty limited. The service told you you were already pwned, which is stressful, but then left you hanging. It’s not surprising that users found it frustrating.
Google’s Other Security Play
So why kill it instead of fixing it? Well, Google already has other tools that cover much of the same ground in a more actionable way. Its Password Checkup feature is a perfect example. It checks your saved passwords against known breaches and then immediately helps you change them—that’s a clear next step. The company also points to passkeys and the Google Password Manager as part of its future security focus. It seems like they‘d rather invest in preventing account takeovers than just reporting on leaked data after the fact. And let’s be honest, third-party services like Have I Been Pwned have been doing this for years, often for free.
The Bigger Picture of Google Retirements
Look, this is also just what Google does. It launches experimental features, sees if they gain traction, and sunsets them if they don’t. Remember Google Reader? Inbox? The graveyard is vast. The dark web report always felt like a niche, almost corporate-feeling product tucked inside a consumer account. It didn’t directly drive engagement with Google’s core services like Search, Gmail, or Chrome. When a tool doesn’t become essential or a major differentiator, and it’s costly to run, it gets cut. This feels like a classic case of that. You can read their official sunset notice in a support document.
What You Should Do Now
If you were using this service, don’t panic. Your data isn’t any more or less secure because Google stopped scanning for it. The dark web hasn’t gone away. You should make sure you’re using a password manager—Google’s or otherwise—and enable two-factor authentication everywhere you can. Consider using a dedicated breach monitoring service if you’re really concerned. And maybe take this as a reminder: in the tech world, especially with Google, don’t get too attached to any feature that isn’t part of their absolute core business. They’re always refining, which is a polite way of saying they’re always cutting things loose.
