// Netherlands · Right to be forgotten
Doctor loses bid to scrub discipline records from Google search results
Gerechtshof Amsterdam ·
ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2020:1802
The case
A doctor requested Google to remove search results linking to her disciplinary conviction on a 'blacklist' website. The Amsterdam Court of Appeal denied the request because the information was recent, relevant and factually correct regarding her professional conduct, and the right to freedom of information outweighed her privacy rights.
What the court considered
- 01The information is recent, relevant and factual regarding professional conduct, not the plaintiff's private life
- 02It concerns authoritative source publications about disciplinary convictions relevant to (potential) patients
- 03The plaintiff actively seeks publicity and takes a prominent position in medical debate, where her disciplinary history is relevant
- 04The right to freedom of expression and information outweighs the plaintiff's privacy rights
What this means in practice
Healthcare providers find it difficult to enforce the right to be forgotten for professional information, particularly when they are public figures. Companies must take into account the professionalism of the person concerned and the public interest when processing right to be forgotten requests. This ruling clarifies the limits of the right to be forgotten for professionals who actively seek publicity, and emphasizes the importance of transparency regarding disciplinary measures for patients.
Legal basis
- Artikel 17 AVG (recht op vergetelheid)
- Artikel 21 AVG (recht van bezwaar)
- Artikel 6 lid 1 sub f AVG (gerechtvaardigd belang)
- Artikel 10 AVG (verwerking strafrechtelijke gegevens)
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- Court Denies Wealthy Heir's Bid to Scrub Criminal Past From Google Search ResultsNetherlands · 26 March 2024
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