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TheInternet LawCentre

How to maximise success with a right to be forgotten

How to maximise success with a right to be forgotten

How to delete your internet history

When it comes to the internet, there is a lot of information out there about each and every one of us. And while some of this information may be positive, there is also some negative information that can be found as well. This is why the European Union created the right to erasure law which is mostly referred to in the UK as a right to be forgotten, a law that allows individuals to request that Google and other search engines remove certain results about themselves from their search results.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to delete your internet history and if you want to maximise success with a right to be forgotten request, it is important to seek out legal advice from a professional who knows how to navigate the process. This is because the law is still relatively new and there are a lot of nuances that can trip people up.

What internet history can be removed with a right to be forgotten

Can you submit a right to be forgotten to Google yourself

Right to be forgotten how long does it take

How likely is Google likely to accept your right to be forgotten request

How right to be forgotten link removal works

Can you get newspaper articles removed in the UK

What can you do if Google rejects your right to be forgotten request

Can I ask your own solicitor to help with your right to be forgotten request

Are there alternatives to a right to be forgotten

Are search removal companies reliable

Right to be forgotten applications drafted correctly, legally and effectively

What internet history can be removed with a right to be forgotten

In 2012, the European Court of Justice ruled that individuals had the right to request that information about themselves be removed from search engines. This right is known as the right to be forgotten. Since then, many people have used this right to have information about themselves removed from the public domain.

In some cases, this has meant that information about people's past crimes or mistakes has been removed from search engines. The scope of removing internet history with a right to be forgotten is huge and a life changing for many. However, the right to be forgotten is not absolute.

In many cases, it is up to the search engine to decide whether or not to remove the information in question. There have been many debates about the right to be forgotten, with some people arguing that it is a violation of free speech.

Right to be Forgotten on Google Legal Advice FAQ

Yes, you can directly submit a request to Google for the removal of personal information about yourself under the right to be forgotten. Google provides a form for this purpose, allowing individuals to submit their requests for free. However, it's crucial to complete this form accurately and comprehensively, as errors or omissions can lead to the rejection of your request. It's recommended to seek legal advice to navigate the complexities of this process effectively, ensuring that your submission adheres to the relevant data protection laws and maximizes the chances of a successful outcome.

Google evaluates each right to be forgotten request based on a balance of interests. Factors considered include the public interest in accessing the information versus the individual's right to privacy. The decision-making process involves assessing the relevance, accuracy, and sensitivity of the information. Requests are more likely to be accepted if they are professionally handled, as legal professionals understand how to present arguments that align with Google's criteria and the legal framework, thereby improving the likelihood of success.

The response time from Google can vary, with most individuals receiving a decision within 2 to 8 weeks after submitting their right to be forgotten request. The process may take longer if the request requires detailed consideration or if it's prepared by a solicitor, aiming for a thorough and legally robust submission. Professional legal preparation, while potentially extending the consideration period slightly, significantly enhances the chance of achieving a favorable decision.

If Google denies your right to be forgotten request, don't despair. You have options, including appealing Google's decision or issuing a GDPR Notice for further action. Engaging a specialist internet privacy lawyer at this stage can be invaluable. Legal professionals can escalate the matter effectively, leveraging their expertise to address Google's concerns or to pursue alternative legal remedies. They understand the intricacies of the process and can advise on the most strategic approach to take, whether it involves further negotiations with Google or pursuing legal avenues through the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) or the courts.

While there are many companies that claim to specialize in search removal or the right to be forgotten, caution is advised. These companies, often unregulated marketing or SEO agencies, may lack the legal expertise necessary to address complex cases effectively. In contrast, a specialist internet lawyer can provide professional, legally sound applications that not only adhere to the technical and legal requirements but also offer a strategic approach tailored to your specific situation. A professionally prepared application by a legal expert significantly increases your chances of success and provides a solid foundation for any future actions, should complications arise.

Can you submit a right to be forgotten to Google yourself

Yes. You can submit a request for a right to erasure or a right to be forgotten by yourself. Google offers a completely free form. You can access Google right to be forgotten form here. You can find a list of right to be forgotten grounds here. Remember, this may be your best chance to have your history removed from the internet. This means that it is vital to complete the task correctly and in a timely manner. While it might seem easy, you may not realise what could go wrong.

For example, if you don't complete the form in its entirety or refer to defamation instead of data protection laws, your request may be denied. Additionally, if you're not specific enough about what you want to be forgotten, Google may not grant your request. And finally, if you submit your request too late, it may also be denied.

Right to be forgotten how long does it take

The average response time by Google to a right to be forgotten request is 6 weeks. Most people who apply to Google under a right to be forgotten will receive their response between 2 to 8 weeks after their request was submitted. If you've submitted a request to have certain information removed from Google search results under the European Union's right to be forgotten law, you may be wondering why you haven't received a response.

The right to be forgotten is a right that allows individuals to request the deletion of their personal data from search engines and other online platforms. The time it takes to receive a decision on your right to be forgotten requests will depend on many factors. We have seen and heard of cases where right to be forgotten requests, prepared by the person, were rejected within a matter of hours despite being highly deserving.

In order to maximise the chances of your right to be forgotten request is accepted, it is important to consult with an experienced internet privacy lawyer who can help you prepare a strong and compelling request. If you ask a solicitor to prepare your right to be forgotten request, this might take slightly longer to prepare, and it may take slightly longer for it to be considered by Google. However, it is often more likely to result in a successful outcome for you.

This is because the solicitor can help to ensure that your request meets the necessary criteria and is worded in the most effective way. They can also help to deal with any complex issues that may arise, such as if you have a large number of URLs that you want to be removed and follow matters up as needed. When most individuals give up, your solicitor will know how to escalate matters gradually and in a way that would not be financially viable to you, yet, highly effective in terms of outcome and speed.

How likely is Google likely to accept your right to be forgotten request

A professional approach helps secure the successful removal of search results. When it comes to having your request to be forgotten and accepted by a search engine, it is much more likely to happen if it is handled in a professional manner.

If your request is declined, your lawyer will be better equipped to deal with the issues at hand and advise you on whether or not you should pursue other options. This is because they know how to correctly format and present your request in a way that is more likely to be accepted. Search engine providers are more likely to take requests seriously if they are handled in a professional manner, so it is important to make sure that your lawyer is experienced in this area.

A specialist right to be forgotten solicitor will advise you if you should pursue other options, in addition or as alternatives to the right to be forgotten including continuing to correspondence with search engine providers. If you're not sure whether or not the right to be forgotten is the best course of action for you, a solicitor can help you weigh your options and make an informed decision. Each option will have a different timetable to complete but some might be far more likely to produce your desired outcome than others.

How right to be forgotten link removal works

Each of the search engine companies has developed their own unique process for handling right to be forgotten requests. When you submit a request to have links removed from Google search results under the right to be forgotten law, it's important to understand that Google may not be able to remove all of the links you want. In some cases, Google may only be able to take down some of the links you list in your request.

This is because the law requires a balancing of interests, and in some cases, Google may determine that the public's interest in having access to the information outweighs your privacy interests. Google weighs a number of factors when deciding whether or not to remove links from its search result pages. These factors include but are not limited to, the public interest in the information contained in the link, the source and content of the information, and whether or not the link is accurate and up-to-date.

Can you get newspaper articles removed in the UK

Yes. You can get newspaper articles removed in the UK. It is always best to consider whether it is possible to get articles removed from the source before making a right to be forgotten application to Google or to other search engines.

This may require communicating with newspaper editors, or webmasters of hosting sites. If an article is defamatory, libelous, or otherwise damaging to your reputation, it is important to take action to get it removed. This can be a difficult process, but it is important to protect your reputation and you might only have a limited amount to time to do so.

If you want to get an article removed from the source, it is best to communicate with the newspaper editor or the person who is hosting the internet content. You may have to explain why you want the article removed and provide documentation to support your claim. To maximise success with your removal request, before approaching news and website editors with a right to be forgotten appeal, your solicitor will discuss with you and evaluate each of the articles.

It is important to seek legal advice before approaching editors of newspapers and websites, as some might respond in a revengeful manner to such requests. Furthermore, the way you word your article removal request to the newspaper editor is likely to determine whether or not your request will be accepted.

Newspaper editors, for example, are more likely to accept article removal requests on the basis of defamation or for compassionate reasons than requests that are made under a right to be forgotten. It is also possible to negotiate various technical and editorial solutions to the issue with some of the newspaper editors so please take your time and seek advice before approaching them.

What can you do if Google rejects your right to be forgotten request

Search engines, particularly Google, have yet to show consistency in their responses to right to forgotten applications. Too often, Google staff are making inconsistent decisions about what information is and is not getting removed from internet searches, with some right to be forgotten applicants being successful in having their information removed while others are not. This lack of consistency makes it difficult for people to know whether or not their right to be forgotten request will be successful, and it also raises concerns about whether or not Google is properly applying the law.

If you have applied to Google and your right to be forgotten request was refused, don't give up. You can appeal their decision or serve a GDPR Notice on Google and continue fighting for your right to have your information removed from the internet. Remember, Google is just one company and there are many other ways to have your information removed from the internet. If you persevere, you will eventually succeed in getting your information removed.

If your right to be forgotten is refused by a search engine, you may appeal to the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) or take matters further with the search engine. In order to maximise the success of your right to be forgotten appeal, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible to support your claim. This may include but is not limited to, articles, blog posts, social media posts, and any other online content that features your name.

You should also provide evidence about the impact the continuing processing of the offending search results is having on you and on your family. This might be evidence of financial impact or impact on your well-being and mental health. By providing a wealth of evidence, you increase your chances of successfully appealing the decision and having your name removed from the search engine's results.

Can I ask your own solicitor to help with your right to be forgotten request

Any qualified solicitor will be able to provide advice on various legal issues. Law Society rules require that solicitors only give advice in areas of law for which they have the expertise. Although your local solicitor may have handled your conveyancing matter or road traffic accident and did an outstanding job, they might not be the right lawyer to provide you with a right to be forgotten advice.

There will be unlikely to be aware of complications and implications with your right to be forgotten requests and it is doubtful that they will have the right technical knowledge to in fact understand what cause some of the search results to appear. You may want to seek the support of specialist right of be forgotten lawyers, who have an in-depth understanding of how the internet works.

To maximise success with your right to be forgotten request, you may need to go to the next level of the removal procedure if there are other complexities. It is vital, especially if your case involves legal arguments, that you present your strategic points from the outset. This will allow you to build a detailed legal submission later on.

Are there alternatives to a right to be forgotten

There are a few different ways you can get internet content removed from public view. For example, you could file a GDPR Notice for the right to have content deleted. Alternatively, you could take legal action against Google or other search engines.

Each method has its own set of pros and cons, so it's important to weigh your options before taking any action. One thing you can do, if you prefer to avoid taking the right to be forgotten route, is to try to increase the visibility of other, more positive articles about you online.

This can be done through online PR and search engine optimisation (SEO). You can read more about SEO and online reputation management here. By making sure that other articles about you are ranking highly on search engines, you can help to push the embarrassing story down the list of results. It's important to remember, however, that this is not a guaranteed solution. And even if you are successful in pushing the embarrassing story down the list there is a high possibility that at least some of those negative search results will come back to the top of the search results in the future.

Are search removal companies reliable

There are many companies who claim to specialist in search removal or in removal of negative or unwanted search results from Google. You have to be very cautious before you engage with those types of companies. They are mostly marketing and search engine optimisation agencies that are unregulated and therefore unaccountable.

Whilst some of those removal companies can submit basic right to be forgotten requests, something which most people can do themselves, they tend to be oblivious to potential complications and legal challenges. It could often be difficult to repair some of the damage that search removal companies cause with their right to be forgotten applications.

It is important that you prepare your right to forget application professionally. The foundation for any future requests to the search engines may be formed by your initial right of being forgotten request. Consider having your initial right to be forgotten application professionally prepared in order to increase the chances of success and to reduce your future costs.

If you're considering seeking legal advice to have information removed from the internet under the right to be forgotten, it's worth finding a lawyer who is an expert in this niche area of internet law. This lawyer can advise you on the best course of action to take to ensure that the information in question is removed from the internet, and can also help you navigate the legal process.

Right to be forgotten applications drafted correctly, legally and effectively

As a specialist internet lawyer, we can explain clearly why the search engine provider needs to remove the data from a technical as well as from a legal point of view. Having the right to be forgotten request drafted and submitted professionally will maximise your right to be forgotten likelihood of success. We have extensive experience with data privacy law and with making successful right to be forgotten applications.

Our team never gives up! They can help you navigate the complex process of submitting a request for removal under the right to be forgotten law. They can help you draft a compelling argument for why the data should be removed, and submit it to the search engine provider in a way that increases the likelihood of success.

Don't try to go through this process alone – contact a specialist internet lawyer for help. Our right to be forgotten solicitors have 24/7 access and are available to provide support from initial consultation to handling your matter through to a successful conclusion. A skilled knowledge of internet law, and in many cases a lot of experience, can make it easier to file a right-to be forgotten request.

Are you keen to remove content from the internet? Call our super friendly team now for support and advice on +44 207 183 4123 or send a request and we will call you back.

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