The oblivion right fights for the online privacy of all European citizens. It allows them to request the deletion of search results on their behalf, considered abusive and inappropriate. In short, the oblivion right allows the victim to no longer see his name or image appear in the search results pointed to.
The oblivion right’s origins
The oblivion right comes into force in Europe in May 2014, at the request of the CNIL and the European Court of Justice (ECJ). This means that anyone residing in Europe can request that a link containing inappropriate, abusive and irrelevant personal data and information be removed on their behalf. The content doesn’t disappear from the Internet but from the result pages, associated with the applicant’s first and last name.
Oblivion right’s conditions
The oblivion right will be considered and accepted if the information is deemed defamatory, insulting or obsolete. On the other hand, the concerned search engine wishes to protect the right to information and the public interest. In fact, if information falls within these areas (court case, fraud, criminal conviction), Google will most likely be denied the request. Moreover, if the content concerns a relative with the same name or a homonym, or if the mentioned person isn’t you properly, the claim won’t be successful.
To apply for an oblivion right with Google, a form is available online. This procedure is also available on Bing and Yahoo.
The requested information is : your contact details, the links’ list to be removed and the reason for the request. Proof of identity is also required. The file, completed and signed electronically, is studied by moderation teams who will decide if your request is admissible or not.