What is the right to be forgotten?
The right to be forgotten, also called the right to erasure, lets you ask an organization to delete the personal data it holds about you. The GDPR in Europe and Law 25 in Quebec recognize this right. It is meant to give you control over your personal information online.
When can you use this right?
You can ask for deletion when the data is no longer needed for the purpose it was collected for, when you withdraw your consent, when you object to the processing, when the data was collected unlawfully, or when the law requires it. The right is not absolute and has exceptions.
How to make a request
Identify the organization that holds your data and find its contact details for privacy requests, often in its privacy policy. Send a clear written request stating that you are exercising your right to erasure under the GDPR or Law 25. The organization must reply within 30 days.
Delisting from search engines
The right to be forgotten also covers asking search engines to remove links to information about you. Google and other search engines offer forms for these requests. They weigh whether the public interest in the information outweighs your right to privacy.
The right to be forgotten does not mean erasing history. It recognizes that people have the right not to be defined forever by their digital past.
Limits of the right to be forgotten
The right is not absolute. Organizations can refuse if they have a legal duty to keep the data, if the data is needed to establish or defend legal claims, or for reasons of public interest. If they refuse, you can file a complaint with the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec.