Google has been having a number of problems in Europe over the past several months, one of which being the European Union’s recent “Right to be Forgotten” rule. Basically, this rule requires Google to remove “outdated” information from its search results if it’s requested to do so. Despite its numerous protests, Google has been complying for the most part, but now the company is being ordered to remove links to articles that contain references to the links that the Google has taken down as part of the rule.
Google has been ordered by the Information Commissioner’s office to remove nine links to current news stories about older reports which themselves were removed from search results under the ‘right to be forgotten’ ruling. The search engine had previously removed links relating to a 10 year-old criminal offence by an individual after requests made under the right to be forgotten ruling. Removal of those links from Google’s search results for the claimant’s name spurred new news posts detailing the removals, which were then indexed by Google’s search engine. Google refused to remove links to these later news posts, which included details of the original criminal offence, despite them forming part of search results for the claimant’s name, arguing that they are an essential part of a recent news story and in the public interest. Google now has 35 days from the 18 August to remove the links from its search results for the claimant’s name. Google has the right to appeal to the General Regulatory Chamber against the notice. Deputy commissioner David Smith said: “The European court ruling last year was clear that links prompted by searching on an individual’s name are subject to data protection rules. That means they shouldn’t include personal information that is no longer relevant.”
