Complete Removal from the Source
Request Removal from the Website
- Find the right contact – Check the site’s About or Contact page for an editor’s email. If you can’t find anything, tools like Hunter.io or LinkedIn can help.
- Escalate if necessary – If the first contact refuses, reach out to the Editor-in-Chief or legal team.
- Use WHOIS lookup – If no contact info is available, WHOIS lookup may provide an email or a forwarding address if they’ve paid for privacy protection on the domain.
Legal Removal Options
- Court Order or Lawsuit – If the article is defamatory, contains false information, or violates your rights, a lawsuit may force removal.
- Website Policies & Guidelines – Some sites have guidelines against publishing outdated, harmful, or incorrect information.
- DMCA/Copyright Takedown – If the article uses copyrighted content (like your personal photos or writing), you can file a DMCA request for removal.
Removing the Article from Google
De-indexing the Article
- Noindex Tag (By the Site) – The website owner can block the page from Google by adding a “noindex” tag.
- Google Policy Violations – If the article contains sensitive personal information, defamation, or other violations, Google may remove it. You can submit a request through their removal request forms here: Request personal content removal from Google Search.
- Legal Removal Requests – Google removes content that violates laws (e.g., revenge porn, copyright infringement, or sensitive financial/personal data). You can start the process for that here: Report Content for Legal Reasons.
While it’s not as strong of a solution as full removal, de-indexing solves 99% of the problems with having a negative news article about you online. By removing the article from Google, the only way people would be able to find it is if they went directly to the website and found it there.
Realistically the only potential harm a de-indexed article can cause you after it’s been removed from search results is if people who know about the article go out of their way to track it down and share it.
Anonymization as an Alternative
- Ask the site to replace your name with a generic term like “local man/woman”.
- Editors may agree if the article is outdated or if you provide compelling reasons
Anonymization is almost just as good as full removal, and in some cases preferable to de-indexing. The article will still remain online, on the website where it was published and in some searches on Google. The advantage is that you can have Google recrawl the page and because it no longer references your name or information it should quickly fall out of search results for your name entirely.
How to Build a Strong Removal Request
- Inaccuracies – Highlight factual errors.
- Mitigating Circumstances – Example: If the article is about an arrest, show proof of dismissal or expungement.
- Damages Suffered – Explain emotional distress, job loss, threats, or bullying.
- Positive Changes – If relevant, mention steps taken (e.g., DUI rehab, community service, professional achievements).
- Character References – Letters from friends, colleagues, or even physicians can help.
- Legal Implications – Subtly imply potential defamation concerns rather than immediately threatening legal action.
Sometimes it can be beneficial to submit the request through an attorney. Some sites will feel more pressure to just remove the news article when there’s more of an obvious implied threat of litigation if it comes from a lawyer.
This isn’t always the case though, some sites are more likely to dig their heels in and not do anything if they’re dealing with a lawyer.
The unknown aspects like that are why it can be a better decision to work with a company like ours who specialize in removing news articles because we’ve already done all of the trial and error and can implement strategies we know work for certain publications.
What If They Reject Your Request?
- Ask for de-indexing – Request that they block it from search engines.
- Request anonymization – Ask for your name to be redacted.
- Seek legal help – If all else fails, consult an attorney for possible legal action.
Using Google’s Outdated Content Tool
What If You Can’t Remove It?
- Hire a professional – Experts (like us) can handle complex removals.
- Lawsuit (as a last resort) – Only if the content is blatantly defamatory and worth the risk of public attention.
- Search result suppression – Push down negative results by publishing positive content that ranks higher in Google.
Need help removing a news article?
Erase.com’s content removal service is designed to help you showcase your strengths and position you as a reliable and trustworthy partner.
We’ve helped over 5,000 individuals and businesses manage their online reputation and removed over 10,000 harmful news articles for our clients since 2009.
Get started and take control of your online presence today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove my name from news articles?
Yes, but it depends on the site’s policies and the nature of the article. Some news sites will remove an article if it is outdated, incorrect, or is causing greater harm than the public’s interest in the content merits. Others may only agree to de-index it from search engines, meaning the article will still exist on their site but won’t appear in Google searches.
What types of news articles are eligible for removal?
What if I can’t remove a news article?
Can I remove a news article from Google?
How long does it take to remove a news article from search results?
Timelines vary based on the website and search engines. Some sites may remove an article within days, while others take weeks or even months. Google’s de-indexing updates can take up to a month. Suppression efforts, such as SEO strategies, often take longer and require ongoing content creation.
How much does it cost to remove a news article?
Most sites do not charge for removing false or defamatory content. Some websites offer paid removal services, while others may charge for de-indexing, especially if they outsource their web development.
If you’re working with a reputation management company like ours to attempt to remove a news article, we’ll typically charge anywhere from $800 to several thousand dollars depending on the site and the content in question. With our removal service you only ever pay after the content has been removed. Be weary of any company asking for money up front for this kind of service.
Can a lawyer help remove a news article?
Yes. A lawyer can assist in cases involving defamation, privacy violations, or other legal grounds for removal. They can send requests on your behalf or take legal action if necessary. However, some sites may be less cooperative if approached by a lawyer, so it’s often best to try direct communication first before escalating, especially if you aren’t going to pursue litigation.
What sites can you remove news articles from?
We provide removal and suppression services for all news publishers in the U.S., Indian, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. We also provide services in other countries and have removed content from publishers throughout Latin America, the EU, Middle East and Asia, but the significant majority of our work is for clients in countries where the content is in English.
We’ve helped thousands of clients clients to remove news articles, even from major mainstream publications like the New York Post, BBC, CBC, CNN, Fox News, USA Today and more.
