What can you do if searching your name on the internet brings up information about you that is outdated or is simply untrue? Such information may be having a negative impact on your reputation and effecting your privacy.
Legal principles
Legally, search engine providers have a legal obligation to process personal data in accordance with the rules set out in the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).
Such principles include the right of rectification and the right to erasure (amongst other rights). With this in mind, a search engine operator has a duty to:
- Rectify any inaccurate personal data when notified of the inaccuracies; and
- Delete or remove the data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.
It is however important to keep in mind that the right to erasure is not an absolute right. There are circumstances whereby a search engine provider could refuse to erase the result.
What can you do?
As set out above, data protection can be a complex area of law that is not always clear-cut.
At Nelsons, we can help you navigate the complexities and provide you with some practical advice as to your options going forward. We can even liaise with the search engine provider on your behalf to have the data either rectified or removed.
How can Nelsons help?
Ruby Ashby is an Associate in our expert Dispute Resolution team.
If you require advice in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, please contact Ruby or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.