Requests to delist content under European privacy law
In a May 2014 ruling, the Court of Justice of the European Union found that
individuals have the right to ask search engines like Google to delist certain
results about them. This report provides data on the volume of requests, the
URLs delisted, the individuals submitting requests, and the content of websites
and URLs identified in requests.
Delisting URLs from Google Search for privacy
In a May 2014 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Court found that individuals have the right to ask search engines like Google to delist certain results for queries on the basis of a person’s name. The search engine must comply if the links in question are “inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant, or excessive,” taking into account public-interest factors including the individual’s role in public life. Pages are only delisted from results in response to queries that relate to an individual’s name. We delist URLs from all of Google’s European search results—results for users in France, Germany, Spain, etc.—and use geolocation signals to restrict access to the URL from the country of the requester. The chart below shows the total number of requests received and the total number of URLs requested to be delisted since May 29, 2014.
This chart shows the percentage and actual number of URLs that have been delisted after review. The data used to generate the chart goes back to the launch of our official request process on May 29, 2014. URL delisting requests that are still pending review, or that require additional information in order to process, are not included in this chart.
Evaluating requests
We assess each request on a case-by-case basis. In some cases, we may ask the individual for more information. We have carefully developed criteria in alignment with the Article 29 Working Party’s guidelines. After a request is submitted to us via our webform it undergoes a manual review. Once we reach a decision, the individual will receive an email notifying them of our decision and, if we do not delist the URL, a brief explanation. For additional information about our process and how to submit a request to delist content, please visit the Right to be Forgotten Overview .
Reasons we don’t delist
A few common material factors involved in decisions not to delist pages include the existence of alternative solutions, technical reasons, or duplicate URLs. We may also determine that the page contains information which is strongly in the public interest. Determining whether content is in the public interest is complex and may mean considering many diverse factors, including—but not limited to—whether the content relates to the requester’s professional life, a past crime, political office, position in public life, or whether the content is self-authored content, consists of government documents, or is journalistic in nature.
Explore requests
These are examples of requests we’ve received from individuals. In assessing each request, Google must consider the rights of the individual and the public’s interest in the content. We have removed any identifying information from these examples in order to protect the identity of the individual affected by the content.
We received a request from the Austrian Data Protection Authority on behalf of an individual to delist 12 URLs which discussed the publication of prohibited nationalist lyrics on the invitation flyer for a fraternity event. The use of these lyrics led to legal proceedings against the individual, which were dropped at a later stage.
Outcome
We agreed to remove all 12 URLs because the individual was a student at the time and was not involved in any political activity.
Belgium
Request
We received a request from an individual to delist 4 URLs: 2 news articles from 2007 and 2 archived documents from the 1980s, including one hosted on a government website. The URLs discussed important historical events which had taken place in a country in South America and in which the individual had been involved. The request stated that the URLs presented a risk to both the physical and psychological stability of the individual and of their family.
Outcome
We did not delist any of the URLs in light of the historical nature of the events and involvement of the requestor.
Belgium
Request
We received a request from a social worker to delist 5 news articles on behalf of an individual. The articles stated that the individual had been found guilty of multiple accounts of rape and sexual abuse against a family member and two other underaged victims; they received a 7-year prison sentence in 2006.
Outcome
We did not delist 4 URLs requested given the severity of the crime, the sentence they received, and the time that had passed since the sentence had ended. We asked the individual for more information regarding the remaining URL.
Bulgaria
Request
We received a request from a politician to delist 11 URLs (news articles and blog posts dated 2012). The URLs reported on the individual's allegedly illegal professional practice and included some sensitive information about their sexual orientation, which the individual themself had made public in a book.
Outcome
We did not delist any of the 11 URLs due to the requester's current role in the public sphere.
Croatia
Request
We received a request from an individual to delist 1 URL, a news article published in 2003. The request was made on behalf of all the family members mentioned in the article, which discussed the family's living conditions.
Outcome
We delisted the URL for all the requested family members given the lack of public interest and the time passed since publication.
This chart provides a breakdown of the categories we use to classify requesters when we evaluate requests to delist URLs. As of January 2018, 1% of all requesters accounted for approximately 20% (1.4M) of the total URLs requested for delisting. The data represents the number of requests we’ve received beginning in January 2016.
This chart shows the percentage of URLs we have evaluated for delisting by the category of site identified in the request. URL delisting requests that are still pending review, or that require additional information in order to process, are not included in this chart. This data dates back to January 2016.
This chart shows the percentage of URLs we have evaluated for delisting, broken out by the category of content at the requested URL. URL delisting requests that are still pending review, or that require additional information in order to process, are not included in this chart. This data dates back to January 2016.
Explore how European privacy law impacts Google Search results
Since July 2014, European privacy law has had an impact on information available
for certain queries in Google Search. The numbers here quantify and explain that
impact.