Danny Sullivan "Google’s Search Liaison", discusses the two reasons for removing content from search results and how Google aims to provide access to information, but there are times content must be removed to protect users or comply with the law
Removing content from search results is not an easy action Google takes . Even sites that violate Google’s rules aren’t blocked permanently.
Google will remove content from search results when a legal need to do so is required, and Google’s obligations differ from country to another, as they relate to laws around privacy and defamation
Sullivan says the company reaches a high standard when it comes to the legal requirements of removing pages from search results
Google doesn't have the ability of detecting law-breaking content on its own, it depends on people and authorities to report content that may need to be removed for legal reasons
Anyone can submit a removal request for content they believe violates the law by filling out a form Google will review and make a determination on whether the content meets the legal requirements for removal or not
After that Google informs site owners about removal requests via Search Console
Google removes content, when it contains highly personal information like financial or medical information, government-issued IDs, and intimate imagery published without consent, Google also gives everyone the ability to request the removal of content from search results when pages appear on sites with exploitative removal policies
The decision to remove content is detected by evaluating if the harm it could cause outweighs the value it provides to searchers
Sullivan says
In these cases, while people may want to access these sites to find potentially useful information or understand their policies and practices, the pages themselves provide little value or public interest, and might lead to reputational or even physical harm that we aim to help protect against
As an example, if a website receives a valid content removal request for violating copyright law or using personal information, Google will decrease the appearance of that site in search results
It's worth noting that Sullivan reminds although content is removed from Google it may still found on the web
“Ultimately, it’s important to remember that even when we remove content from Google Search, it may still exist on the web, and only a website owner can remove content entirely. But we do fight against the harmful effects of sensitive personal information appearing in our results, and have strict practices to ensure we’re complying with the law”.
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Source Search Engine Journal
