After leaving the EU, the UK kept a framework functionally similar to the EU right to be forgotten, built into its own data protection law. If you or the content is UK-based, this is the framework that applies.
What qualifies for delisting
The test is whether a search result appearing under your name is inaccurate, outdated, excessive, or no longer relevant to the purpose it originally served — weighed against the public’s legitimate interest in accessing that information. A private individual with an old, resolved matter that no longer reflects who they are has a strong case. A public figure whose conduct remains relevant to their current role generally does not.
Specific pages and search terms matter
A delisting claim concerns specific web pages and the specific name or search query under which they appear. General complaints about “bad search results” without detail tend to sit unresolved much longer.
The balancing test
The balance between privacy and public interest decides the outcome. The question is whether the information is outdated, irrelevant or excessive, and whether continued visibility causes harm that is disproportionate to the public interest in having it easily searchable. Simply disliking the content is not enough.
Who decides
Search engines operating in the UK market assess these matters against the same balancing test that courts and regulators apply. They can accept, refuse or ask for more information.
If a decision is disputed
The UK data protection regulator can review how personal data was handled, and courts remain an option for serious cases, particularly those with a defamation or harassment element. Whether either route makes sense is a matter for legal advice.
What UK delisting doesn’t do
Like its EU counterpart, this process affects name-based search results, not the underlying page — the original content generally stays online and searchable through other terms. Content tied to a current public role, an ongoing legal matter, or a genuinely newsworthy event is unlikely to qualify no matter how it’s framed, and repeated requests that ignore this reality tend to slow down future, more legitimate ones.
When this isn’t the right tool
If what you’re actually dealing with is defamatory content, harassment, or a data breach rather than simply outdated information, a delisting request alone won’t resolve the underlying problem — it needs to run alongside, or be replaced by, a more direct legal claim.
Working out whether delisting, a direct legal claim or both apply is where specialist advice helps. We do not guarantee outcomes.