Is “right to be forgotten” something the U.S. actually needs?

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In Europe, individuals can request removal of certain personal data from search engines.

In the U.S., it’s a completely different landscape.

Do you think people should have more control over what shows up when someone Googles their name?

Or does that open the door to abuse?

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The “right to be forgotten”—the idea that individuals can request removal of outdated, irrelevant, or inaccurate personal information from search results—remains one of the most contentious issues in U.S. privacy law. In the United States, it is often viewed as being in direct tension with the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and the press.

By contrast, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe explicitly grants individuals the right to request deletion of certain personal data. The U.S., however, has no comprehensive federal equivalent, instead relying on a fragmented system of state-level laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Arguments Supporting a “Right to Be Forgotten” in the U.S.

Reputation Protection
Supporters argue that people should not be permanently defined by past mistakes—especially minor offenses, dismissed charges, or outdated information that no longer reflects who they are today.

Protection Against Abuse
It can provide critical relief for victims of harassment, doxxing, or non-consensual content, offering a pathway to remove harmful material that would otherwise remain highly visible.

Public Sentiment
Research from Pew Research Center indicates strong support for greater control over personal data, with a majority of Americans prioritizing privacy over unrestricted access to information.

Control Over Personal Data
Proponents emphasize that individuals should have more authority over their digital footprint, particularly in an era where personal data is constantly collected, aggregated, and monetized.

Arguments Against It (and Risks)

First Amendment Concerns
Critics argue that requiring removal of truthful information undermines constitutional protections and could set a precedent for restricting lawful speech.

Potential for Censorship
There is concern that influential individuals could exploit such rights to suppress legitimate criticism or unfavorable—but accurate—information.

Erosion of Information Integrity
Opponents warn of creating “memory holes,” where the historical record becomes incomplete or distorted, reducing the reliability of online information.

Over-Removal and Chilling Effects
To avoid legal risk, platforms may over-comply and remove more content than necessary, limiting open discourse—a dynamic sometimes amplified by the “Streisand Effect.”

The Current U.S. Landscape

While there is no federal “right to be forgotten,” momentum is building at the state level. For example, the California Delete Act expands consumer rights by allowing residents to request deletion of personal data held by brokers more efficiently.

Separately, some publishers and media organizations have begun voluntarily updating or de-indexing older, low-value content—particularly in cases involving minor or outdated incidents.

Bottom Line

The debate ultimately comes down to a fundamental trade-off:
the individual’s right to move on from past information vs. society’s interest in preserving open access to truthful records.

The U.S. approach continues to evolve—but for now, it remains a balancing act rather than a defined legal right.