Tips for Removing Your Personal Content from the Internet

Frankie • March 24, 2020

We live in the digital era, where reputation is everything in the online world. It’s easy for our name to get tainted through negative or misleading content, news articles, images, videos, or even blogs published online. While there are things we want to hide from the general public, such as criminal records or public scandals, there are also certain pieces of content about us that may not necessarily be true. When information such as these may reach other people, they may compromise our work, relationships, and even reputation in general.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, we will share with you top tips on how you can go about removing negative personal content online:

Get rid of unwanted search results

It’s one matter to remove your online accounts, and it’s another to ask website publishers to get rid of your content. Yes, you may have already deleted your online profile, but you still may see images, articles, or even employer websites that say something about you in the search engine results. In such instances, here’s what you can do:

Contact the source:

When you’re confronted with this problem, there’s one effective solution – directly contacting the source. There’s no need to worry as the search result will lead you directly to the site. You can then check for the site’s contact information and send an email asking the publisher to remove the content.

Appeal to the search engine:

If you don’t have a personal relationship with the site owner, look for contact information on the “Contact Us” or “About Us” page to find out who the site is registered to. From there, you can appeal to the search engines directly to remove the edited pages immediately.

Bury personal data:

If you cannot get rid of everything in the search results, consider burying personal data as far as possible. You can do this by creating profiles on popular social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter. Another way to do this is to create your own website and fill it up with lots of keywords about your name but with no actual information.

Remove background check, criminal, and public record online:

At this point, you have already destroyed personal content on search results and social networks. Know, however, that some people can still perform background checks on you. The truth is, there’s a vast amount of information that these public records search databases have that can still be detrimental to your reputation.

Here’s what you can do:

Hire a content-removal service :

If the first few options do not work out in your favour, know that you can resort to paying for a content-removal service. There are a handful of content removal services that you can hire. For instance, you can work with Content Removal, which is one of the fastest growing online image management company, to help you protect your online image at all times.

Conclusion

At this point, it’s best to try and perform a search of your name in the search engine and see if you have pieces of content that you would like removed. If there are, do your best to follow the tips given above. If you follow them to no avail, then it will be best to hire a content removal service instead to help you.

We use cutting edge strategies to help you showcase a true reflection of who you are online. If you’re looking for online content removal services, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

By Frankie Lee August 18, 2025
Introduction: Why Google Results Control Your Reputation When people want to learn about you or your business, they don’t ask you directly — they Google you. A single search result can mean the difference between: Winning or losing a client. Closing or missing an investment deal. Being trusted or being doubted. In today’s world, Google is your first impression. And when negative content shows up — whether it’s a bad review, a defamatory article, or an embarrassing old post — it can feel like your reputation is being hijacked. That’s why millions of people search for terms like “remove content from Google” or “delete Google results.” The problem? Google doesn’t make it easy. This guide gives you a step-by-step framework to understand your options, protect your name, and take back control. Step 1: Understand What Google Can (and Can’t) Do Before learning how to remove Google search results, it’s crucial to understand how Google works. Google doesn’t own the content: It simply indexes web pages published on other sites. Two main strategies exist: Remove at the source (delete the content where it was published). Remove from Google’s index (de-index it so it won’t show in search results). 👉 If the content is deleted at the source, Google will automatically update. But if it remains live, you’ll need to request a removal from Google (which only applies in specific cases). Step 2: Identify the Type of Negative Content Different types of harmful results require different strategies. Let’s break them down: 1. Defamation False statements that harm your personal or business reputation. Example: A blogger writes that you scammed clients without evidence. 2. Copyright Infringement Someone stole your images, text, or videos. Example: A competitor copies your website and publishes it. 3. Personal Information Exposure Doxxing, revenge porn, or exposure of addresses, phone numbers, bank accounts. Example: A forum publishes your private details. 4. Fake Reviews or Complaints Competitors or anonymous attackers leave fake reviews. Example: 1-star Google Business reviews from accounts that never used your service. 5. Negative Press or News Coverage News articles, blogs, or opinion pieces that damage your reputation. Example: An old article resurfaces about a legal dispute, even after it’s resolved. Step 3: Attempt Removal at the Source (Most Effective) The gold standard is to delete the content where it lives. How to Remove at the Source: Find contact information: Look for a “Contact Us” page. Use WHOIS lookup if the owner is private. Request removal politely: Be professional and clear. Explain why it should be removed (e.g., false, outdated, violating rights). Escalate legally if needed: Send a legal demand letter. File a DMCA takedown for copyright. Engage an attorney if it’s defamatory. 💡 Pro Tip: When content is deleted at the source, it’s the fastest and cleanest solution. Google will automatically remove it when it re-crawls the site. Step 4: File a Removal Request with Google If source removal isn’t possible, your next option is Google’s own removal tools. Google Offers Removals For: Outdated Content Tool: If the page is deleted but still shows in search. Legal Removal Requests: For defamation (in certain jurisdictions), copyright, and sensitive personal info. Revenge Porn & Explicit Imagery: Google prioritizes urgent takedowns for non-consensual media. Financial or ID Information: Bank details, ID numbers, or hacked data. 👉 Submit requests via Google’s Content Removal page . Be aware: Google will not remove content simply because it is negative. It must violate a policy or law. Step 5: Suppress Results When Removal Isn’t Possible Some content simply cannot be removed — for example, accurate news articles or protected opinions. In those cases, the strategy shifts to suppression. What Suppression Means: Suppression = pushing negative results off page one by ranking positive, optimized content above them. Suppression Tactics: SEO for owned assets: Optimize your website, blog, and social media profiles. Content creation: Publish articles, press releases, interviews, YouTube videos, podcasts. High-authority platforms: Build LinkedIn, Crunchbase, Medium, Quora, and other strong profiles. PR & media coverage: Secure features that rank in Google News and top publications. Since over 90% of users never click past page one, pushing harmful content to page two makes it practically invisible. Step 6: Ongoing Monitoring and Protection Reputation management is not a one-time fix. New threats can appear anytime. How to Stay Protected: Set Google Alerts for your name or brand. Track reviews across Google, Trustpilot, SiteJabber, etc. Use professional monitoring services to get alerts and immediate takedown action. At ContentRemoval.com, we provide continuous monitoring and monthly removal services so you’re never blindsided by sudden attacks. Step 7: When to Hire a Professional Some removals are straightforward. Others — like fighting with major news publishers, suppressing viral Reddit threads, or negotiating with review platforms — require expert intervention. Professional content removal experts can: Navigate Google’s complex policies. File successful DMCA, defamation, and privacy removals. Negotiate directly with publishers. Combine legal, SEO, and PR strategies into one solution. If your reputation, business revenue, or peace of mind is at stake, hiring a professional is the fastest, most reliable way to protect yourself. Case Studies (Proof Section) Case Study 1: Entrepreneur Attacked Online Problem: 42 defamatory blog posts damaging credibility. Solution: ContentRemoval.com secured takedowns on 31 and suppressed the rest. Result: Entrepreneur rebuilt reputation and closed $3M funding round. Case Study 2: CEO with Negative Press Problem: Old news coverage ranking on page one. Solution: 90-day SEO + PR campaign. Result: Positive stories ranked, pushing the negative to page three. Case Study 3: Company Flooded with Fake Reviews Problem: Competitor attack using fake Google reviews. Solution: Removal requests + review platform escalation. Result: 85% of fake reviews deleted, average rating restored. Conclusion: Taking Back Control Your online reputation is one of your most valuable assets. Negative Google search results don’t have to define you. Best case: Remove content at the source. Next best: File a removal request with Google. If all else fails: Suppress the results with SEO and content. 👉 The longer harmful results stay online, the more damage they cause. That’s why ContentRemoval.com exists: to help people like you remove, suppress, and protect their online reputation with proven strategies.
Reputation Management Australia
By Frankie Lee March 7, 2021
If you own a business in today's modern world, you know that it's no longer a question of whether you have an online presence or not. It's now a matter of what that online presence is. You need to know how people perceive your brand and whether that perception matches the one you want established. It's not wise to just let things fall where they may when your online reputation is involved. Businesses can't just let other people determine what their brand is, they should be the one on top of it controlling the narrative.