EU watchdogs to apply ‘right to be forgotten’ rule on Web worldwide

The judgment of the Court of Justice of European Union (CJEU) of 13 May 2014 Google Spain SL and Google Inc. v Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD) and Mario Costeja González (C-131/12) set a milestone for EU data protection in respect of search engines and, more generally, in the online world. It granted the possibility to data subjects to request to search engines, under certain conditions, the de-listing of links appearing in the search results based on a person’s name.

On 25 November 2014, the European data protection national authorities assembled in the Article 29 Working Party (WP29) adopted guidelines on the implementation of the CJEU’s judgment. These guidelines contained the common interpretation of the ruling as well as the common criteria to be used by the data protection authorities when addressing complaints.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: European Court of Justice orders Google to delete personal data http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-court-of-justice-orders-google-to-delete-personal-data/

ESO: Background information: Google faces data watchdogs over 'right to be forgotten' http://www.europeansources.info/record/google-faces-data-watchdogs-over-right-to-be-forgotten/

European Commission: DG Justice: Data protection: Article 29 http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/article-29/index_en.htm

European Commission: DG Justice: Data protection: Article 29: Press Release, 26.10.14: Adoption of guidelines on the implementation of the CJEU's judgement on the 'right to be forgotten' http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/article-29/press-material/press-release/art29_press_material/2014/20141126_wp29_press_release_ecj_de-listing.pdf

The New York Times, 26.11.14: ‘Right to Be Forgotten’ Should Apply Worldwide, E.U. Panel Says http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/27/technology/right-to-be-forgotten-should-be-extended-beyond-europe-eu-panel-says.html

EurActiv, 04.02.15: Google leans towards EU-only 'right to be forgotten' http://www.euractiv.com/sections/infosociety/google-leans-towards-eu-only-right-be-forgotten-311812

EurActiv, 21.05.15: Internet firms to face stiffer fines for breaking EU's 'right to be forgotten' rules http://www.euractiv.com/sections/infosociety/internet-firms-face-stiffer-fines-breaking-eus-right-be-forgotten-rules-314751

EUObserver, 08.10.15: Europeans give Google final say on 'right to be forgotten' https://euobserver.com/investigations/130590

---