Google panel backs ‘removal of links’ from EU websites

EU regulators have taken a different view.

Google set up its eight-member panel last year to draw up a report, published on Friday, on how to implement the surprise “right to be forgotten” ruling from the European Court of Justice in May. The conclusion had been expected.

The panel judged that the internet search giant should only remove links to personal information deemed inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant from its European Union websites, such as google.de in Germany or google.fr in France.

That puts the Advisory Council at odds with the EU’s data protection regulators. They said Google should remove links worldwide, including from google.com.

“It concludes that removal from nationally directed versions of Google’s search services within the EU is the appropriate means to implement the Ruling at this stage.” the council said in the report.

The panel, which includes a former German justice minister and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, held public hearings across Europe. – Reuters