This post has been modified to reflect new information since its original publication.
Virtually everyone has something on the internet they wish would go away.
Misleading news results, embarrassing old photos, comments on blogs that we regret—all of this and more can follow you around permanently online.
So, what can you do if negative search results are hurting your online reputation?
Most solutions fall under one of these three categories:
- Delete
- Deindex
- Suppress
We’ll describe each below and when it applies. This way, you can have a better chance of suppressing or cutting off at the root any detrimental content about you online.
Let’s get started.
Most solutions fall under one of the following three categories: delete, deindex, or suppress. We’ll describe each below and when it applies.
1. Deleting unwelcome content
Step 1 is to investigate what your options are for getting the content removed.
Most of the time, it isn’t possible to directly delete content that someone else has posted online.
That said, there are a handful of situations in which you might be able to get information removed.
If your issue falls under one of the following scenarios, then it might make sense to pursue deletion:
- Your information appears on a people-search site (sometimes called data-broker sites).
- You can claim a copyright or legal infringement.
- Your content was posted on social media in violation of the platform’s terms of service.
People-search sites
Online people-search companies scour the internet, collecting personally identifiable information about people. They compile this information in profiles and then sell it to anyone who asks for it.
Sometimes these profiles appear prominently in the search results for an individual’s name.
In those cases, you can usually issue an opt-out request to have your information removed. The profile should then disappear from your search results within a couple of weeks.
What if your request gets ignored?
Sometimes, things work as you’d hope, and voila, your info is washed away. Other times, it’s not so simple and you must adjust your approach.
If your request to remove your data from a people-search site doesn’t work, you can take several steps to address the issue:
- Follow-up with the site: Sometimes, removal requests may not be processed immediately.
Follow up with the site to ensure your request is being handled. Check its FAQ or help section for any additional steps you might need to take. You can also try contacting the site directly via email or phone. Look for contact information on the site’s privacy policy or terms-of-service pages.
- Monitor regularly: People-search sites often update their databases, which means your information might reappear. Regularly check these sites and submit new removal requests as needed.
- Use professional services: Consider using a service that specializes in data removal. Services like ReputationDefender can handle the opt-out process for you and continuously monitor and remove your information from various sites.
- Take legal action: If a site refuses to remove your information or if you believe your rights are being violated, you may need to seek legal advice. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your local consumer protection agency.
- Submit Google removal requests: If the information appears in Google’s search results, you can ask Google to take down personal content through their Request personal content removal from Google Searchform. This can be particularly useful for removing sensitive information like bank account numbers or government ID numbers from search results.
Bookmark this article and the links above in a safe place so you know exactly where to look if you need additional help.
Copyright or legal infringement claims
Note: The following is not legal advice. Please consult an attorney to discuss your unique situation.
If the information posted online is your own creative work (not created under contract), then you might be able to file a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) copyright claim and have the material removed. This can be especially useful for photos.
Similarly, truly defamatory content can sometimes be challenged through the courts.
In both cases, however, the process can be costly and timely. You can also be penalized for filing a claim without merit, and sometimes the legal action itself can attract more unwanted attention than the original link.
So, if you do decide to go this route, make sure you get good legal advice from an attorney who specializes in internet law.
Social media violations
If someone posts negative content about you on a social network, you may be able to appeal to the site to get it removed.
For this approach to work, you’ll need to show why the post violates the social network’s terms of service. For instance, Facebook’s community standards policy states that they will remove content that includes bullying, criminal activity, hate speech, and similar threats to safety.
There will usually be a link or a tool attached to the post that will allow you to file a report.
Before you submit a request, however, you must verify that your situation qualifies for removal under the platform’s terms of service.
Here are some of the most popular social networks and the links you’ll need to use if you decide to file a report:
- Facebook: Use the “Report” button next to the content or visit the How to Report Things page.
- Instagram: Report abuse via the Abuse and Spam page and block the user if necessary.
- X (previously Twitter): Report abusive behavior through X’s Report Violations page and block the user.
- YouTube: Flag inappropriate videos by clicking the flag icon under the video or use the Report inappropriate videos, channels, and other content on YouTube page.
- Snapchat: Report abuse using their online form.
- LinkedIn: Report abuse using the more icon within your profile icon. Choose Report content on profile and follow the prompts to specify the issue.
2. Ask search engines to deindex results
If you can’t get the negative or unwanted content removed directly, the next step is to look into deindexing it—meaning preventing it from appearing in the search results for any query.
One secret of reputation management few people realize is that search engines are perfectly capable of removing links—there’s even a process in place to handle these requests.
However, search engines do not take such requests lightly, so you’ll need an air-tight case to have the best chance of succeeding.
If your request is successful, the search engine will deindex the content. However, it will remain online.
This means it’s still visible to anyone who links to it or visits it directly.
Also, since each search engine is an independent entity with slightly different procedures and policies, you’ll need to file removal requests separately with Google Search, Bing, Brave, and any other search engine that concerns you.
Types of content that can be deindexed
Both Google and Bing have similar standards when it comes to deindexing. In general, they will only remove the following kinds of content:
- Damaging personal information, such as bank account numbers or social security numbers
- Revenge porn or other sexual imagery posted without your consent
- Child pornography
- Copyright violations (as discussed above)
You can report these kinds of links here:
Libel and defamation removals
Google and Bing used to routinely remove content when provided with a court order showing libel or defamation.
However, Bing stopped automatically honoring these requests in 2013, and Google adopted a similar approach at the end of 2016.
In Google’s explanation of its removal policy, it cites the US Communications Decency Act (CDA).
The CDA states that websites are not responsible for third-party content that appears in their services. As such, Google says it is not required to deindex links unless ordered by a court.
Neither Bing nor Google have provided an explanation for their change in policy, but a number of hypotheses have been put forward by the technology press.
For example, removals are costly and without business value, so they may have been deprioritized for that reason.
Regardless of what the ultimate reason is, the standard for getting defamatory materials deindexed is much higher than it was previously.
3. Bury negative search results
For the vast majority of people who have negative search results, deleting and deindexing are not possible.
That’s where Step 3 comes in—Burying negative content.
In this scenario, we rely on human psychology and online reputation management techniques to make undesirable information less visible online.
For a full run-down of how this works, check out our Definitive guide to online reputation management.
In brief, online reputation management is about flooding the search results with content that search engines will want to index more highly than the negative.
Nearly 9 out of 10 searchers don’t click on results past page 1. As a result, the further down the negative result appears, the fewer people will find it.
To push down negative links, you need to create quality, topical content that is well-optimized and diverse. This content also must be closely tied to the keywords that the negative is ranking for.
Over the course of several months, with strategic content creation and publication, searchers begin to find positive information more often than negative, sending a clear signal to search engine algorithms about which content is more important.
This trend then reinforces itself over time.
This type of burying effect is exactly how ReputationDefender’s flagship product works.
Over the course of an engagement, we create and promote positive, truthful information about our clients or their businesses. As a result, the negative content moves down in the search results and the positive content moves up.
A wonderful place to start if you’re interested in improving your online reputation is with a free resource we offer. It lets you find out what kind of information is floating around the internet about you.
Grab your reputation report card for free. It can instantly provide value by showing you how others see you online right now and what sort of data could be negatively affecting your reputation online.
Then, once you have a better understanding of what’s out there—or if you have any questions about search engines, removal requests, burying negative content, or any aspect of our services—contact us for a free consultation.
There’s no pressure and no obligation, just complimentary advice on what you can do to improve your online reputation.