5 strategies to remove negative search results in 2026
How to remove, deindex, and suppress negative content in Google and why AI search changes the reputation playbook this year.
Topic: Defamation
What if you were held accountable for your AI slop?
A ruling against Google signals a broader shift: companies may be responsible for AI-generated errors, even when humans didn't write them.
Google can be directly liable for false AI Overview claims: German court
The injunction targets AI-generated accusations that tied two publishers to scams despite no support in the linked pages.
Why Google is deleting reviews at record levels
Reviews are disappearing faster as moderation systems, industry risk, and geography shape which reviews stay visible.
Doctor: Google’s AI Overview made up career-damaging claims about me
A UK doctor and YouTuber says Google AI falsely accused him of selling sick notes and being suspended. Is Google AI protected by Section 230?
Google AI Overviews: How to remove or suppress negative content
AI Overviews can surface harmful content. Mitigate it by boosting brand signals, improving E-E-A-T, and reinforcing trustworthy information.
Generative AI and defamation: What the new reputation threats look like
AI chatbots are changing how defamation spreads. Safeguarding credibility now means watching what AI says about you.
How to handle negative Google reviews: Remove, respond, recover
Frustrated with negative reviews from unreasonable customers? Here’s how to respond to negative Google reviews related to your business.
How to navigate negative Glassdoor and Indeed company reviews
Dealing with negative reviews from former employees? Here’s how to respond properly and protect your company's online reputation.
9 strategies for removing negative content from the web
Here are ways to remove webpages and online posts harmful to your brand – from privacy claims and copyright notices to legal measures.
Google autocomplete: The silent threat to your online reputation
Learn how negative autocomplete keywords about your brand can shape people's perceptions and influence their decisions.
‘It depends’ doesn’t have to be the answer if you ask the right questions; Thursday’s daily brief
Plus, blank images in Top stories and new features in the YouTube results page.
Google demotes libelous content in search through its predatory sites algorithms
Google will continue to try to surface high quality, relevant content while downgrading sites that attempt to exploit peoples' reputations.
Reputation attack sites have plummeted in Google, but can still harm
Sites like Ripoff Report, Pissed Consumer and Complaints Board are still a danger for businesses and people with a low online presence. Here's what you can do to decrease the threat.
Changes are afoot, and this time they’re going in the right direction; Tuesday’s daily brief
Plus, register for SMX Create
Verdict is in for CEO involved in forging court order over reputation attack
This case highlights the lack of protection and justice available for online defamation victims from Google and other tech companies.
German court: Google has no ‘duty to inspect’ websites for illegal content before displaying
The court held that Google can't be held liable before being notified of a 'clearly recognizable violation' of individual rights.
SearchCap: Google antitrust, Facebook local & Google defamation
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: CEO who forged court order to get Google to remove defamation faces prisonNov 13, 2017 by Chris Silver Smith Contributor Chris Silver Smith tells the lamentable story of a sophisticated reputation […]
CEO who forged court order to get Google to remove defamation faces prison
Contributor Chris Silver Smith tells the lamentable story of a sophisticated apparent reputation attack and a victimized company led to take desperate steps to recover.
Paradigm shift: Has Google suspended defamation removals?
Columnist Chris Silver Smith takes a look at what could be a recent policy shift in Google's longstanding informal policy of granting court-ordered defamation removal requests.
SearchCap: Google Holocaust denial, AMP reports & Google defamation
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Official: Google makes change, results are no longer in denial over ‘Did the Holocaust happen?’Dec 20, 2016 by Danny Sullivan Criticized for listing a Holocaust-denial site first, Google’s results are finally […]
Australian appeals court rules Google did not defame man
A Melbourne appeals court said Google is not responsible for defamation of a man based on the images shown in the search results.
Google Japan Ordered To Remove Negative Reviews Based On Thin Evidence
Ruling appears to be based largely on affidavit signed by the doctor in question.
Google Settles UK “Defamation” Suit, Agreeing To Remove Malicious Links
Google has long maintained it’s not responsible for third party content in its index. And that’s the law in the US. However increasingly in Europe authorities and individuals are seeking to make Google legally responsible for the content in its search results. The latest example comes in the form of a legal settlement in a UK […]
Blogger Fined By French Court Because Negative Restaurant Review Was Too Prominent In Google
A French court has ordered a blogger to pay a substantial fine and change the title of a restaurant review because the review was too prominent in search results and harmed business at the restaurant. The post has since been removed but can be viewed here (via TechDirt). The restaurant, Il Giardino, complained to the […]
Ripoff Report Is Back In Yahoo Australia’s Search Results, But Not Completely
After what we think was about a week of being de-indexed, the controversial Ripoff Report website is showing up again in search results on Yahoo’s Australian website. But a company spokesperson tells us that some URLs are still blocked. Late Wednesday night (May 21), we noticed that a site:ripoffreport.com search on Yahoo7 — the Australian […]
Yahoo7 Australia Drops Ripoff Report From Search Results After Defamation Complaints
Yahoo7, the Australian version of Yahoo, has de-indexed Ripoff Report after receiving “significant complaints” about defamatory content showing in its search results. As you see above, a site:ripoffreport.com on Yahoo7 produces no results. A Yahoo7 spokesperson gave us this statement on the decision to de-index that entire domain: Yahoo7 has received significant complaints in regards […]
Google In Trouble Again Over Racist Search Suggestions In UK
Is Google Suggest (autocomplete) simply a mirror held up to society; or is it a product that needs to be censored and regulated to protect us from potentially offensive and objectionable content — even defamation? In the latest row over Google Suggest, the company has removed racist and other offensive autocomplete entries in the UK. […]
VA Court Delivers Blow To Yelp, Free Speech Of Users
A Virginia state court of appeal has ruled that Yelp must disclose the real identities of seven individuals who posted anonymous, critical reviews of an Alexandria, Virginia carpet cleaning business, Hadeed Carpet. Yelp and free speech advocacy groups have decried the decision. Hadeed said that he didn’t believe that any of the reviews came from actual […]
French Court Orders Google To Remove Max Mosley Images From Search Engine Results
After making a public plea for the European courts to dismiss a lawsuit filed by former Formula One president Max Mosley, Google found out today the French court has ruled in favor of Mosley and is forcing the search engine to censure search results. According to a report on Reuters.com, the French court has ordered […]
German Court Says Google Must Block Libelous Words Added Via Autocomplete Function
In a surprising turn of events, Germany’s top civil court overturned two lower court rulings on a case involving Google’s autocomplete function. According to the ruling, it is Google’s responsibility to block libelous words that appear next to a name via the autocomplete function if Google has been alerted to the defamatory words. The plaintiff […]
Tokyo Court Orders Google To Alter Search Suggestions & Pay Fines
AFP reports a Japan court has ruled Google to alter the search suggestions and fined Google 300,000 yen ($3,100). The Tokyo District Court ruled that Google has to change the auto-completions for a search on a particular man’s name – the name was undisclosed – because Google provided suggestions that the man committed criminal acts. […]
Five Steps To Successfully Navigate Negative Online Reviews
Last month, D.C. contractor Dietz Development made news when it filed a $750,000 Internet defamation lawsuit against its former customer, Jane Perez, for negative reviews she posted on Yelp and Angie’s List regarding renovation work at her home. The company claimed the reviews, which alleged that Dietz did not complete its work and stole jewelry […]
Google Fined $208,000 In Australian Defamation Case, May Appeal
Google has been told to pay the equivalent of $208,000 (USD) after recently losing a defamation case in Australia involving how it showed a 62-year-old man’s name in search results. Google is examining the original jury verdict and may file an appeal. A judge in the supreme court of the Australian state Victoria issued the […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, October 31, 2012
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Google Loses Australian Defamation Case, Awaiting Decision On Damages Google is awaiting a judge’s decision on damages before it decides what to do after losing a defamation case over its search […]
Google Loses Australian Defamation Case, Awaiting Decision On Damages
Google is awaiting a judge’s decision on damages before it decides what to do after losing a defamation case over its search results in Australia. A jury in the supreme court of the Australian state Victoria, ruled Tuesday that Google is liable for defamation because its search results connected the plaintiff, 62-year-old Milorad Trkulja, to […]
Google Faces Autocomplete Lawsuit From Former First Lady Of Germany
Google may be in trouble again over the automated suggestions that its Autocomplete feature provides to searchers. According to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (and also reported by TechCrunch), Bettina Wulff — wife of the country’s former president, Christian Wulff — is suing Google because Autocomplete suggests prostitution-related terms when a searcher types her name […]
In Japan, Google Ordered To Remove Some Autocomplete Suggestions
The Japan Times reports Google has been ordered to turn off its Autocomplete search suggestion feature in Japan after being sued over some of those suggestions. However, Google says it’s only being ordered to remove specific suggestions, not to turn off the entire feature. The man’s case was adjudicated on March 19th. He said he found […]
Google Instant Costs Google $65,000 In France
The Local, a French newspaper, reports Google France was ordered to pay €50,000 ($64,670) to Lyonnaise de Garantie, a French insurance company over a search suggestion that had them labeled as being a “crook.” In the case of this French company, when you typed in their company name, Lyonnaise de Garantie it suggested at the […]
Irish Hotel Sues Google For Defamation Over Autocomplete Suggestion
A popular Irish hotel has sued Google for defamation because Google’s autocomplete feature suggests to searchers that the hotel is in receivership. Searchers looking for the Ballymascanlon Hotel — a four-star property that’s reportedly one of the most popular wedding venues in northeast Ireland and is not in financial trouble — see “ballymascanlon hotel receivership” […]