2 minute readReference note
Why can an article still appear in search after a court-ordered removal?
In brief
Inspect the remaining result to determine whether it is a stale reference, a live copy, or material outside the removal's scope. Match the next action to that condition and the terms of the completed removal.
Open the exact result URL and record its content and redirects. Check the disputed passage, the article's availability, and copies hosted by other publishers. Compare each URL with the order and any removal decision, then inspect the affected regional search results. Assess copies of the disputed content separately from reporting about the legal case, using the wording and scope of each page.
If the source is gone or materially changed, use Google's outdated-content process for the obsolete result. Check Google's processing status for the removed URL. If the content is live and the issue is legal, use the relevant legal reporting route, with the exact court order, requested action and jurisdiction. Supply the evidence required for the route being used.
Track source availability, search visibility, and independent copies separately. Check the URL's indexing status directly when a name-search result disappears. For another publisher's account, compare its content with the current record and the order's scope before choosing a correction or removal request. Record confirmed deindexing separately from changes to individual search results.