How to Remove Pages from the Google Cache?

[Teknorat]

Hi all - I was just browsing Google today when I realised they have in their cache EXTREMELY sensitive information (sensitive to me.) Is there anyway to request that Google delete their cache of a page or at least refresh it? This may sound paranoid but the fact is it represents a huge problem for me.
Thanks.

[Marcia]

Have the page removed, it's the fastest way

[google.com...]

[Teknorat]

Good but no good- The page is not mine (it's a friends) and I doubt he wants it removed. It's not the fact that the page is indexed that's a problem it's that little cache link :) Any other ideas?

[TheDave]

meta tags? If it's not your site you have no control over the google cache.

[Teknorat]

Ah but I know the guy. Is there any way he can ask them to remove the cache? Or at least update it?

[Marcia]

If he's a friend, maybe he can change that page to exclude your information and move it to a new filename, linking to the new page from elsewhere on the site. It would take Google no time to pick the new page up.

Then he could have the page with your info removed asap, and at some point soon take it down altogether. Remember that Yahoo is also caching pages, not just Google.

[Teknorat]

No that wouldn't work- I see pages all the time that no longer exist but are still indexed by Google. And you can still look at them via the cache.

[Teknorat]

Also as I said my information is already long gone- it's Google that have it. Also Yahoo! has a newer cache that doesn't contain it.

[danny]

Is google deleting removed pages at all now?

I've seen pages that were removed long ago still appearing as "supplemental results".

[Marcia]

Teknorat, they have the URL of the page the info was on, even though your info is now gone from it. What I'm saying is to move the rest of the contents on that page to a different URL altogether, and have Google remove the URL they have - the one they have which includes the info you don't want out there.

It's that specific URL that's the problem. You can't get them to update that URL but your friend can have them remove it altogether. They will do it.

[Teknorat]

Removing the URL will ruin his Serps. I asked him and he flat out refused. Removing the old page or changing the name is not an option. Changing the name is the same as removing it from the results you should know that :P

[TheDave]

Sounds like you need to get a fresh offsite link to this page to get the googlebot to come around. If the information has been removed, then the cache will be updated soon after the bot visits his site - so the best thing for you to do now is actually link to this page and hope that the bot takes notice.

[Teknorat]

Ok that sounds good, will do.