Privacy watchdog takes Google to court in long-running ‘right to be forgotten’ case

Canada’s privacy commissioner is asking the Federal Court to order Google to de-list specific search results, after Google refused to comply with the watchdog’s recommendations.

The privacy commissioner’s office said a year ago that Google wouldn’t implement its recommendation to de-list specific articles in the search results for an individual’s name.

The case, which has been ongoing since 2017, involves articles about a criminal charge that was dropped, which the individual said caused direct harm.

The watchdog recommended Google de-list the articles for searches of that individual’s name, though they would continue to be available online and appear in results for other search terms.

The privacy commissioner has now filed an application with the Federal Court, asking the court to enforce its recommendations.

Google has maintained the case raises issues around freedom of expression that were not addressed by the courts and a spokesperson says the company welcomes the opportunity to address these issues in court. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2026. 

By Anja Karadeglija | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.