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SCREW YOU, EU: BBC rolls out Right To Remember as Google deletes links

Not even Google can withstand the power of Auntie

The BBC will publish a summary of articles removed from Google search rankings under the infamous "right to be forgotten" rules.

At a public meeting, the Beeb's editorial policy chief, David Jordan, said the public also had a "right to remember".

A ruling by the European Court of Justice in May ordered Google to remove links from its search results that went to outdated or irrelevant information.

Whilst stories will not be republished or promoted heavily, they will be a "resource for those interested in the debate", Jordan added.

He also slammed the "lack of a formal appeal process" around the right to be forgotten, reserving specific ire for the removal of a case involving members of the Real IRA", two of whom were subsequently convicted," Jordan explained.

"This report could not be traced when looking for any of the defendants' names. It seems to us to be difficult to justify this in the public's interest," he added.

Jordan was speaking at a meeting attended by Eric Schmidt, part of a series investigating Google's relationship with the Eurocracy.

However, one critic said these meetings are little more than a chance for Google to pat itself on the back.

"It wants to be seen as being open and virtuous, but it hand-picked the members of the council, will control who is in the audience, and what comes out of the meetings," said Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, head of CNIL, France's data protection body.

As reported by El Reg late last week, European ministers are moving in favour of a watered-down version of the so-called "right to be forgotten" Data Protection Regulation. ®

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