Consumer Watchdog Backs New York's Right to Be Forgotten Bill, Possibly First in US

Consumer Watchdog said Friday it endorsed "right to be forgotten" legislation introduced in New York state that would give residents there the ability to request removal of online material and search engine links considered harmful to their interests or reputation. “Unfair and no longer relevant digital footprints following you throughout your life can hurt you. People need to be able to tell the Internet: ‘Just fuhgeddaboudit,’” said Consumer Watchdog Privacy Project Director John Simpson in a news release. It might be the first state to have such legislation, he emailed us. Earlier this year, Assemblyman David Weprin (D) introduced A-5323 with companion legislation introduced in the Senate that was later removed. In a letter sent Thursday to Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D), who chairs the Government Operations Committee considering A-5323, Simpson said the bill would protect people's privacy. Such rights in Europe are managed fairly without burdening Google and other search engine providers and online publishers, said Simpson. He said right to be forgotten isn't censorship, nor would it raise First Amendment issues, and it doesn't apply to governmental, political or public interest matters.