How Do I Remove an Article?
The internet has done a lot of good by making it easy for people to share and receive information. But it also poses a threat to individuals and businesses as it may facilitate the spread of false or harmful information. The good news is that you can remove an article detrimental to your brand or reputation. Here’s how to remove articles from Google:
Contact the Content Creator
Try to remove the article from the source by appealing to the writer. Identify their reasons for publishing the article to determine what to do to make things right. If the article stems from a disgruntled customer or associate, find out what you can do to improve their experience with you. Sometimes an apology may work. Contact the content creator to apologize and explain what you plan to improve to enhance others’ experiences. Be respectful to avoid exacerbating the situation.
Make an Editorial Request
An editorial request is a strategy that involves contacting the website owner. This strategy works best when dealing with blogs, news outlets, and media websites, as it may be challenging to reach the journalist who published the article you want to have removed. An editorial request aims to open up dialogue between you and the publication. You’ll likely communicate with the publication’s editor, as they’re often responsible for publishing and removing content.
If the article is defamatory or inaccurate, prepare proof showing this is the case. Reputable news and media outlets may be willing to take down the content to avoid legal repercussions. If the article contains accurate information, focus on showing how you or your business have changed and improved.
You can provide character references to prove you’re no longer the kind of person or business portrayed in the article. Make an impact statement, explaining how the article has impacted your life. The goal here is to make the editor sympathetic to your situation.
If successful, an editorial request can lead to the removal of an article or alternatives like removing identifying information or adding a noindex tag to prevent Google from reporting the page in search results. Removing identifying information can prevent site visitors from associating the negative article with you. A noindex tag can limit its visibility.
Contact Google
Only contact Google after trying to appeal to the content creator and publishing website. Google can’t completely remove the article from the Internet — it can only remove it from the search results. Also, Google can only de-index the article if it violates its terms of service.
An article is subject to de-indexing if it infringes on your intellectual property rights, violates privacy laws, contains personal information like your address, or contains issues like phishing and malware. If any of these reasons apply to your situation, fill out an online removal request. Be prepared to provide detailed information on the article and why you want it removed.
Take Legal Action
You can take legal action against the article’s publishing site if they refuse to take it down despite it containing harmful content. Send a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice if the article infringes on your intellectual property. A lawyer can advise you on the requirements and procedure.
If the notice fails, obtain a court order. Court orders can be helpful when dealing with problematic content creators or when the creator is anonymous or can’t be contacted directly. Many platforms and search engines, including Google, view court orders as trustworthy and legitimate. Google may de-index any article that’s subject to a court order. Try sending a takedown notice before seeking a court order, as the former takes less time.
Hire a Reputation Management Service
Figuring out how to remove an article from Google on your own can be challenging. You may not know how to communicate with writers, editors, or lawyers if you’ve never dealt with them before, jeopardizing the outcome of your case. This makes hiring a reputation management service ideal. These services can negotiate better with all the involved stakeholders and dedicate more time and resources to getting the article removed.
Learn How to Remove Articles from Google Today
Many people can use the information on the internet to gauge your trustworthiness and reputation. Negative or outdated articles can ruin your brand image, so learning how to remove articles from Google can be beneficial. A data removal service can guide you on what to do and take all the necessary actions on your behalf, allowing you to focus on other core matters.
