Communication experts say this week’s “right to be forgotten” ruling, which obliges Google to delete inadequate and irrelevant data from search results when a member of the public requests it, will usher in an “unrealistic web”. James Thomlinson, MD at Bell Pottinger Wired, says the EU Court of Justice’s decision will open “a can of worms” across the communications industry.“The lack of clarity on relevancy of results and whether or not this ruling applies to individuals in companies or even an entire brand’s reputation, will have lawyers up and down the country rubbing their hands in glee.,” he adds. The successful test case (C-131/12) was brought by a Spanish man after he failed to secure the deletion of an auction notice of his repossessed home.
