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News article removal
News Article Removal: Unpublish, Update or De-Index Old Stories
An old arrest story, lawsuit report, or inaccurate article can follow you in search results. Remove Online Information reviews the article URL and helps you identify which request fits: unpublishing, a correction, removal of your name or photo, or exclusion from search. Start with a free review of the links.
- Free review of the article and its copies
- Requests built around each outlet’s policy
- Search clean-up after a change is made
What to send us
- The exact links (URLs) where the content appears
- Any search terms that bring it up
- What outcome you want
Free, confidential assessment. Do not include passwords, ID numbers, or intimate images in your first message.
The basics
What is news article removal?
News article removal starts with the website that hosts the story. The publisher can unpublish the page, correct or update the reporting, remove identifying details, or ask search engines to exclude the URL. If the publisher changes the article and Google still shows the old result, you can request a search refresh. Each publisher controls its own copy.
| Outcome | What changes | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Unpublish | The article is removed from the site. | The outlet has a review policy for older coverage and the story meets its criteria. |
| Anonymize | Your name or photo is removed from the story. | The outlet wants to keep the story available and will consider removing identifying details. |
| Update or correct | A note adds the case outcome or fixes errors. | Charges dropped, acquittal, or factual mistakes. |
| De-index | The publisher can use a noindex directive to tell supporting search engines to exclude the URL. | The publisher keeps the archive but limits search visibility. |
How it works
Our approach to news removal requests
- Review the coverageFind the original story plus syndicated and aggregated copies.
- Build the caseGather court outcomes, dates, and the harm the story causes today.
- Contact the right editorSubmit a clear, respectful request under the outlet’s policy.
- Clean up searchAddress copies and outdated results once the source changes.
What to include in a request to a news editor
Send the article URL, headline, publication date, and the specific change you want. Quote the sentence that needs correcting or explain which later development the story is missing. If you have a public case disposition or another reliable record, describe what it shows and ask the outlet how to share it securely. Save a separate URL for every syndicated copy.
The Associated Press, for example, considers some requests about older minor-crime stories on its own public sites. Outlets that republished an AP story handle their own copies. Read AP’s minor-crime coverage policy.
When to ask Google to refresh an old result
Open the exact URL shown in Google and check whether the story or identifying text is still there. If the page is gone or the relevant text has been removed, Google’s Refresh Outdated Content tool can update the old result. If the text remains live, review Google’s separate removal policies for eligible content and contact the publisher about the article itself.
Publisher guides
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Related services
Find out if an article can be removed or updated
Send us the article link. We will review the story and explain the realistic options before you commit.