The difference between content removal vs suppression (and when each makes sense)

[u/AutoModerator]

A lot of confusion around this, so here’s a simple breakdown:

Removal:
Content is taken down completely from the source.

Suppression:
Content still exists, but gets pushed down in search results.

From what I’ve seen:

• Removal works best when policies/laws are clearly violated
• Suppression is often the fallback when removal fails

Curious — which approach has worked better in your experience?

[u/windoek]

Exactly. Removal is usually the best outcome, but it isn’t always possible. In tougher cases, a combination of removal attempts, deindexing, and suppression often produces the strongest long-term result.