August 27,2025
RED FM News Desk
The federal privacy commissioner says people have the right, in certain cases, to have information removed from search engine results, but Google is refusing to comply.
In a decision on a long-running case central to whether a “right to be forgotten” applies in Canada, Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne recommended that Google remove links to articles about a criminal charge that was later dropped.
According to a press release, Google has declined to follow the recommendation, and the commissioner’s office is now considering all options to enforce compliance with privacy law.
The case dates back to 2017, when Google challenged whether federal privacy law applied to its search engine. In 2023, the Federal Court of Appeal rejected Google’s appeal, marking a win for those advocating for a digital “right to be forgotten” in Canada.
The commissioner concluded that individuals should be able to have certain information de-listed when its continued display in search results risks serious harm to their safety or dignity. This right applies when the harm outweighs the public interest in keeping the information accessible.
In this case, the individual said articles about the dropped charge had caused stigma, job losses, and even physical assault. The commissioner therefore recommended Google de-list the articles from searches of that person’s name, though the articles would remain online and still appear in searches under other terms.
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