Google’s John Mueller provided advice on Reddit about removing unwanted content from search results.
This discussion began when an individual sought help in removing an old article about their 2018 arrest, which still appeared in Google searches despite the case being settled. The article’s lingering presence on the first page of search results prompted the person to seek its removal.
Here’s what Mueller recommended for dealing with such situations:
Mueller’s Advice on Removing Content
Mueller pointed out that de-indexing by a news outlet isn’t always immediate or straightforward. He proposed several strategies:
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Complete Takedown: Although the news outlet refused to delete the article, this method—resulting in a 404 error—is the most effective.
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Noindex Tag: The article might have a noindex tag, telling search engines to ignore it while keeping it on the site. Checking the page’s code can confirm this.
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Name Swap: Another approach is requesting the news outlet to replace the person’s name with a generic one like "John Doe," making the article harder to find through name searches.
- Right to Be Forgotten: This legal avenue is available in certain regions, particularly in Europe.
Regarding the persistence of the article in search results, Mueller noted it could take up to six months for a de-indexed page to disappear:
“Regarding how long it takes to ‘see’ a noindex, there’s no specific time, but it’s usually less than a few months. I think I’ve seen it take up to 6 months. They’re not kept in the index forever without being refreshed. If you use the public removal tool (for non-site-owners), Google will check the page fairly quickly (within a few days) and use that to confirm that the page has a noindex.”
Mueller assured that pages don’t remain indexed indefinitely without refreshing. Hidden de-indexing methods are rare. He advised utilizing Google’s public removal tool to expedite the rechecking process if the article is de-indexed properly by the news outlet:
“It’s really rare (I can’t think of any case in the last year or so) that someone would use a kind of ‘hidden’ noindex; it’s complicated to set up & maintain. Most sites just use the visible robots meta tag for switching things to noindex, which you would be able to see yourself fairly quickly. If you use the removal tool, Google will also see any ‘more hidden’ noindex settings.”
This guidance helped the individual understand their options for addressing their lingering online content issue.
Tools for Removing Content
Mueller mentioned two main tools for content removal from search results:
- For Website Owners: The Removals and SafeSearch reports tool.
- For General Users: The Refresh Outdated Content tool.
Website owners can request content removal quickly. For non-owners, Google verifies before taking action. Mueller clarified these tools won’t inadvertently increase a page’s visibility:
“The removal tool for site-owners titled ‘Removals and SafeSearch reports Tool’ allows for rapid content blocking. The non-site-owner ‘Refresh Outdated Content tool’ checks multiple times to ensure the page is noindex or removed before acting. Neither tool makes a page more visible. They are also considered ‘temporary’ removals, meaning if the page becomes indexable again, it could reappear in search results.”
Importance of Content Management
This situation highlights the challenges of managing online information. Google offers tools to remove outdated or unwanted content, but cooperation from publishers and patience may be required.
Featured Image: tomeqs/Shutterstock
