Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) recently started removing some search results on behalf of the European Union. This is part of the EU’s “right to be forgotten”, which was initially upheld by Europe’s main court on May 13th. The court ordered Google to remove a link to an older newspaper that discussed one man’s bankruptcy.
Google discusses plan of action
A representative for Google stated on Thursday about taking action. He explained this week the company is starting to remove links requested. He added that it is a new process for the company and each request assessed individually. The search giant received a total of 41,000 requests within four days of placing on online form enabling Europeans to request the removal of certain links.
Those who are interested in having Google remove specific links can fill out an online form. The search giant will then take a closer look at the request to determine if the results contain outdated information about the user’s personal life.
It may take time to compete some requests
Google will also determine if whether there is public interest in the search results. Such information might include financial scams, criminal convictions, financial scams, or public conduct as a government official. Google admitted some of the judgements are difficult and may not be in the best position to decide for certain cases. Some cases may even take a little longer because Google received so many requests. If an individual disagrees with Google’s decision, they can take it to local data protection authorities.
Internet privacy is crucial for internet users. Concerns over privacy became even more important when one former government official offered details of United States-based surveillance programs that involved European citizens. One EU executive criticized several US companies including Google and Facebook over the way the companies handle personal data.
