Google accidentally reveals data on “right to be forgotten” requests
August 13, 2015
280,000 private individuals in Europe have made a number of requests to Google asking the company to remove certain web pages from its search results.
In May 2014, the European Court of Justice ruled that an Internet search engine has to consider such requests from a person about search results related to that person’s name. Since that ruling, the number of privacy requests had been consistently climbing. This includes, but is not limited to a woman whose name appeared in prominent news articles after her husband died, seeking removal of her address and an individual who contacted HIV a decade ago.
Many people are trying to take advantage of this law by making requests to protect their privacy online. Unfortunately, Google accidentally published data after several of these requests had been made. This data covers more than 75% of all requests to date.
Google has the ability to accept or reject all requests made. As of March, 46% of all requests had been granted. 38% had been rejected. The others are still pending a decision. Success of the request depends on the type of request made. Whereas removal requests that were marked with the label political, public figure, serious crime or child protection all had much higher rejection rates.
More emphasis has been added to the right to be forgotten requests released by Google, but the requests made by private individuals to protect their personal privacy have still been ignored.
This new development stresses the importance of Google being more open to the privacy requests it receives and how it processes information.
Best regards
und viele Grüße aus Charlotte
Reinhard von Hennigs
www.bridgehouse.law
und viele Grüße aus Charlotte
Reinhard von Hennigs
www.bridgehouse.law
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