How to Delete a News Article from Google or the Internet

You are not alone if you are asking how to remove a news article from Google search and the Internet. Our clients routinely ask us this question as expungement lawyers.

You are not alone if you are asking how to remove a news article from Google search and the Internet. Our clients routinely ask us this question as expungement lawyers. Most individuals believe that removing unfavorable newspaper articles from Google search and/or the Internet is impossible. Indeed, many lawyers tell their clients that this is the case because the news items are factually correct and hence protected speech. Nonetheless, news pieces can be removed from Google search and/or the Internet.

WILL THE ARTICLE BE REMOVED FROM THE INTERNET AFTER EXPUNGEMENT?

One of the first inquiries we get from clients is if an expungement order issued by the state where the arrest occurred necessitates the removal of these news stories from the Internet. The simple answer is no. Perhaps your criminal record has been wiped, or you are thinking about doing so. Regardless, you may be asking if it makes sense to erase your record so that it no longer appears on criminal background checks when a simple Google search of your name will reveal your arrest information. Expungement laws differ greatly from state to state. While some states permit the expungement (also known as sealing in other jurisdictions), others do not. Furthermore, even if your state allows for criminal record expungement, you should be aware that the expungement order will only direct law enforcement agencies (such as courts, police departments, or the FBI) to refrain from disclosing your expunged records in response to a background check request. An expungement order does not obligate the press, news organizations, or any other private firm to remove articles mentioning the erased matters. In reality, doing so would be a violation of the first amendment's rights of free speech and press. As a result, expungement will not compel news organizations to delete the expunged content from the news piece. However, as described further below, if we can give news agencies with documentation that the record has been dismissed and/or purged, it will usually improve our case.

CAN I FILE A DEFAMATION, LIBEL, OR SLANDER CLAIM?

Most likely not. If the information contained in the newspaper article was most likely true at the time it was written (i.e., John Does was arrested on January 1, 2017, and charged with DWI in Pleasantville, New Jersey), there is simply no legal basis for alleging that the news article's content is defamatory and/or constitutes libel or slander, as each of these legal causes of action requires that the content be false. Thus, if the information was genuine at the time of the arrest, suing for defamation, libel, or slander is pointless.

Taking a News Article Off Google and the Internet

If the news piece you're trying to remove isn't incorrect or defamatory, your choices for removing it are limited. In essence, the only method to remove the piece is to contact the news agency or individual who published it and urge that they do so. This is referred to in the industry as a "unpublishing" request. Whether or whether the news agency will comply will be determined by the regulations and processes in place for unpublishing requests. While some agencies have a stringent "no unpublishing" policy, many news organizations do not have a specific policy addressing unpublishing requests. In those cases, it is strongly advised that you retain a lawyer to advocate on your behalf and work to: (1) research whether or not it is possible to remove the content in your case; (2) locate the appropriate individual within the news agency to speak with about your request; and (3) persuade the organization to remove the article, amend it, or reach some other agreement that will benefit you. Aside from fully erasing the article, additional choices that news articles may agree to include: Editing or correcting articles that contain incorrect or outdated information Coding the webpage in such a way that the article does not appear in search results Making more tweaks or corrections to the article that will conceal your identify