- Enforcing jurisdiction
- Germany · Geography does not establish applicable law.
- Confirmed applicable legislation
- Privacy topics
Court case BGH VI ZR 405/18 – Court Ruling (Germany, 2020)
Privacy enforcement record
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A court ruled that Google does not have to remove links to press articles about a person's past financial issues. The court decided that the public's interest in the articles outweighed the individual's request for privacy. This ruling is important for understanding how personal information is handled online.
What happened
The court dismissed a request for Google to delist press articles mentioning a person's financial problems.
Who was affected
The individual who wanted Google to remove links to articles about his financial issues.
What the authority found
The court held that the individual's rights did not outweigh the public interest in the articles.
Why this matters
This ruling sets a precedent for balancing privacy and public interest. Businesses should be aware that not all requests for data removal will be granted, especially when public interest is involved.
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Linked-source text retrieved.
Automated check recorded — 18 March 2026.
Processing notes: authority corrected.
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The plaintiff was the managing director of a regional association of a charitable organisation. In 2011, this regional association had a financial deficit of almost one million euros. At the time, both of these events were reported in the regional daily press, mentioning the plaintiff's full name. The plaintiff now requests the defendant, as the person responsible for the internet search engine "Google", to refrain from including these press articles in a search for his name in the results list. The Regional Court dismissed the action. The plaintiff's appeal was unsuccessful. The question was whether Google has to delist press articles of the plaintiff according to Article 17 GDPR. The court hold that the basic rights of the plaintiff does not outweigh the interests of the search engine and the interest of its users, the public and the press organs for the linked newspaper articles, also taking into account the time that has passed by, this is why he cannot base his claim on Art. 17 GDPR.
Outcome
Court Ruling
A ruling by a national court on a data-protection matter.
Related Cases (0)
No other cases found for Court case BGH VI ZR 405/18 in DE
This is the only recorded case for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Court case BGH VI ZR 405/18 - Germany (2020). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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