Canada’s privacy commissioner says individuals have the right to have some information de-listed from search engine results but Google is refusing to comply.
The commissioner’s office says Google won’t implement a recommendation to de-list specific articles in the search results for an individual’s name.
The federal privacy commissioner recommended Google de-list articles about a criminal charge that was later dropped.
The individual says the articles caused direct harm, including social stigma, lost job opportunities and physical assault.
The case first began in 2017, with Google challenging the application of federal privacy law to its search engine.
The privacy commissioner asked the courts to weigh in. In 2023, the Federal Court of Appeal rejected Google’s appeal and the decision marked a victory for people seeking a digital “right to be forgotten” in Canada.
