Our Right to Be Forgotten service
The Right to Be Forgotten is not a “delete” button. It is a legal mechanism under UK GDPR Article 17 that requires search engines to balance your privacy rights against the public’s interest in accessing information. Success depends on how well your case is presented.
How it works
Five stages, from first conversation to final outcome. We handle the process; the search engine makes the decision.
Start with an assessmentConfidential consultation
We discuss what appears when your name is searched, the nature of the content, and the time elapsed since the underlying events. We assess eligibility against the criteria used by search engines: is the information inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive — and is there a public-interest reason to keep it indexed?
Case preparation
If your case has merit, we prepare the submission. Search engines delist URLs, not “articles” in the abstract, so precision matters throughout.
- Identification of specific URLs to be delisted
- Your name variants, including professional or former names
- A written argument addressing relevance, accuracy and proportionality
- Supporting evidence: proof of spent conviction, acquittal, or updated context
Submission to search engines
We submit to Google (EU/UK privacy form), Bing (Microsoft RTBF form for UK and European residents) and Yahoo where applicable. Each platform has different procedures, and each assesses requests on its own terms.
Monitoring & response
Search engines typically respond within one month, though complex cases may take longer. We monitor progress and handle follow-up queries or requests for clarification.
Outcome & next steps
If approved, the specific URLs will no longer appear in name-based searches within the UK and EU. The source page remains online. If refused, we advise on an ICO complaint or a revised submission.
What delisting does — and does not do
Setting accurate expectations is part of doing this work responsibly. The distinction between delisting and deletion is the most misunderstood aspect of the Right to Be Forgotten.
It does
- Remove specific URLs from name-based search results on Google and Bing within the UK and EU
- Apply geolocation so UK users see the delisted result across Google domains
- Cover multiple name variants where specified
- Require search engines to consider your Article 17 rights
It does not
- Delete the original article or page from the internet
- Affect searches conducted from outside the UK and EU
- Automatically apply to new URLs published after the request
- Guarantee removal — the balancing test is discretionary
The factors that decide cases
If your enquiry relates to a criminal conviction, the following factors are central — and they are weighed differently depending on the nature of the offence.
Spent convictions
Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, many convictions become “spent” after a specified period. Search engines give significant weight to spent status, but delisting is not automatic when a conviction becomes spent.
Time elapsed
The single biggest factor affecting eligibility is time. Public interest is highest immediately after an event; it usually reduces as time passes, except in extreme cases. The crossover point — when privacy begins to outweigh public interest — is where a successful request is most likely.
- Minor convictions: crossover typically at completion of the full sentence; the “Personal Privacy Zone” strengthens when the conviction becomes spent.
- Serious convictions: crossover when the conviction becomes spent under the ROA; a further period without reoffending — often two to five years — may be needed.
Nature of the offence
Minor offences are more likely to be delisted than serious ones, particularly where there is no ongoing public-protection concern. Fraud, or offences against vulnerable people, attract a stronger public-interest argument for retention.
Public interest
If you hold or seek public office, or if the offence involved professional misconduct or consumer risk, delisting may be refused regardless of time elapsed.
We assess these factors honestly in the consultation. We do not accept cases we believe are unlikely to succeed.
Find out whether your case has merit
A confidential assessment, with an honest view of your prospects before you commit.
Request a Confidential Assessment