Right to be forgotten
Asking a Search Engine to De-list a Result About You
A calm, plain-language guide to what a de-listing request really does, when a search engine may agree, and how to make one yourself — without expecting the underlying page to vanish.
In short
De-listing asks a search engine to stop showing a particular result when someone searches your name. The page itself stays online; only its appearance under that name search changes. You send the request to the search engine, it weighs your privacy against public interest, and it decides — there is no guaranteed outcome.
What de-listing actually means
De-listing is a narrow, specific thing. When you ask a search engine to de-list a result, you are asking it to stop showing one particular link in the list of results that appears when someone searches your name. You are not asking it to delete the web page, and the engine has no power to do that anyway — the page lives on someone else's site, not on the search engine.
This distinction is the whole point. After a successful de-listing, the page is still online and can still be reached directly, found through other search terms, or shown by a different search engine. What changes is one thing only: that specific result no longer appears under that specific name search. It is a way of making something harder to stumble across, not a way of erasing it.
The idea comes from a well-known 2014 European court decision (often called the Google Spain case), which recognised that, in certain circumstances, a search engine could be asked to remove particular results shown under a person's name. It sits under the umbrella people call the right to be forgotten — but, as the companion guides explain, that nickname covers a narrower set of actions than it first suggests.
- De-listing hides one result under a name search; it does not delete the page.
- The page stays online and reachable by other routes or other search terms.
- You ask the search engine, not the website, because only the engine controls its own results.
How to make a de-listing request
Most major search engines provide their own online form for this. The work on your side is mostly about being clear and specific: an engine has to weigh your privacy against the public's interest in finding the information, so a focused, well-explained request is easier for it to consider than a vague one. Work through it calmly, one result at a time.
- Search your own name and note the exact result you want de-listed — copy the full link (URL) and the search terms that surface it.
- Find the search engine's own removal or de-listing request form (usually under its privacy or legal help pages) rather than emailing a general address.
- Identify yourself and the name being searched, so the engine can confirm the request is about you and your own data.
- Give the exact link for each result, and explain plainly why it is outdated, irrelevant, or no longer in the public interest to show under your name.
- Submit each result and keep a dated record of what you sent, including any reference number the engine gives you.
- Wait for the engine's decision, and if it agrees only in part or refuses, read its reasons before deciding whether to follow up or escalate.
What to expect, and the limits
A de-listing request is a question the search engine must consider properly, not a command it must obey. It balances your interest in privacy against the public's interest in the information — so results about a serious matter of genuine public concern are less likely to be de-listed than, say, a long-spent, trivial detail. The engine decides, and it may agree fully, agree in part, or decline.
Even a successful de-listing is limited by design. It usually applies to searches of your name, not every possible query; it may apply in one region but not worldwide; and it affects that one engine only. The source page is untouched, which is why de-listing often works best alongside other steps — for example, asking the original site to correct or remove what it publishes, or, where your jurisdiction grants it, making a formal erasure request to the organisation that holds the data. An online identifier such as a username or profile link is often what ties results together, so tidying those at the source can quietly reduce how much surfaces in the first place.
If a search engine refuses and you believe it has weighed your request unfairly, you can usually raise the matter with your data-protection regulator — in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). This article is general information, not legal advice; whether de-listing is the right tool, and how the balance is struck, depends on your own situation and where you live, so for anything sensitive or contested, consider speaking with a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.
Frequently asked questions
Does de-listing delete the web page about me?
No. De-listing only asks a search engine to stop showing a particular result under your name. The web page itself stays online on whoever's site hosts it, and it can still be reached directly or found through other search terms. To change the page itself, you have to approach the site that publishes it.
Will the result disappear from every search engine?
No. A de-listing request affects only the search engine you send it to, and usually only searches of your name. Other search engines keep their own results, so you may need to make a separate request to each one. A de-listing in one engine does not carry across to the others.
On what grounds might a search engine agree?
An engine weighs your privacy against the public's interest in finding the information. Results that are outdated, irrelevant, or no longer of genuine public interest under your name are more likely to be de-listed; information about a serious matter of real public concern is less likely. The engine makes the judgement case by case.
What can I do if the search engine refuses?
Read its reasons first, since the engine has to balance competing interests and may explain why it declined. If you believe it weighed your request unfairly, you can usually raise the matter with your data-protection regulator, such as the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which can review how the request was handled.
Related terms
This is general information, not legal advice. For guidance on your own situation, consider speaking with a qualified professional.
Reviewed by OSINTA's founding lawyer — 2026-06-27.
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