In line with the new EU law, Google now offers a Form for People Who Want to Be Forgotten

As of May 13th, the Supreme Court of Europe introduced a groundbreaking law supporting the right of citizens to request search engines eliminate specific search results associated with them personally. Google, the dominant search engine in Europe, subsequently launched a system to facilitate such requests, although it expressed concerns about the wide-ranging repercussions of this ruling.

Any individual who wishes to file a ‘right to be forgotten’ request should possess unrestricted access. However, it’s vitally important to realize that the removal of a link from Google’s search results does not equate to the total erasure of the webpage from the internet. Google has warned against potential misuse of this system, citing instances of individuals unhappy with how they might be portrayed in news stories.

To make a ‘right to be forgotten’ request, users are required to provide a clear reason why they believe a specific URL contains “irrelevant, outdated, or inappropriate” information about them. To affirm the authenticity of a request, Google mandates a legible copy of a user’s driver’s license, national ID card, or other photo identification.

Upon successful validation of a request, Google will rescind the corresponding link from its search results and post a notice acknowledging the fulfilled request, aligning with procedures established for copyright takedown notifications.

CEO Larry Page conveyed his remorse regarding Google’s limited engagement in the public discourse surrounding this issue in Europe and promised a more constructive participation in the future.

Several of Google’s executives, including its co-founder Sergey Brin and executive chairman Eric Schmidt, voiced their disapproval of the ‘right to be forgotten’ ruling. Brin humorously stated at the Code Conference, “I wish we could forget the ruling,” while Schmidt argued it contradicts the public’s right to know, disrupting Google’s balance.

Moreover, Google announced the formation of an international advisory board to delve into deeper issues related to the ‘right to be forgotten’ requests. Only requests from individuals residing in Europe will be considered. The board will comprise esteemed individuals from a broad spectrum of fields.

Despite the implementation of these new procedures, Google rapidly received a multitude of requests to remove search results within just several weeks, as confirmed by a company spokesperson.

Updated in 2025 to align with recent developments.