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Which negative search results can actually be removed
By Jeremy Andrews, Senior Reputation Expert, TheBestReputation · · 3 min read
You can remove negative search results when they contain personal data, explicit imagery, policy-violating reviews, content subject to a court order, or pages already deleted at the source. Accurate news, legal opinions, and public records generally can't be removed and must be suppressed instead.
| Usually removable | Usually suppress-only |
|---|---|
| Leaked address or phone | Accurate news articles |
| Fake or off-topic reviews | Honest negative reviews |
| Non-consensual imagery | Public court records |
| Content under court order | Opinion pieces |
| Deleted pages still cached | Forum discussions |
The right route depends on the content type. See the full guide to removing a defamatory result for the legal options.
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Common questions
- Can I pay Google to remove a result?
- No. Google doesn't sell removals. Anyone claiming otherwise is misrepresenting the process.
- How fast are removals?
- Personal-information removals often take days to two weeks; policy-based removals can take one to four weeks.