Google starts removing 'forgotten' search results
It was only a matter of time until it happened, but Google has now started removing search results from its listings as part of the European Commission's "Right to be forgotten" ruling. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company started implementing the blocks earlier today, weeks after it first started allowing individuals to request that the search giant remove listings that turned up against searches for their own names. Google says it has begun notifying successful applicants that their requests have been accepted.
The inclusion of this warning is notable: Instead of removing all traces of a result, it maintains a level of transparency and highlights that the company has complied with the law. Google says it will display notices on all name searches, except people in public eye, across its European sites. Nevertheless, the original content will still reside on a news site or blog, just waiting to be found using a Google search engine (or another search provider) hosted outside of Europe.
