How Platforms Handle Content Removal Requests

Google accepts defamation removal requests from the person or business being defamed, or a legal representative authorized to act for them, and asks for the exact URLs, how the content relates to them, and why it is false and harmful. Google says it is not in a good position to evaluate whether claims are true or false, but would take into account a court ruling in the requester's favor. If a request is approved, access is restricted only in the country where the content is considered defamatory.

SourceGoogle Legal Help, Defamation Overview

Google may remove Search results that show contact details (address, phone number or email), confidential government ID numbers, bank account or credit card numbers, pictures of signatures or IDs, private records such as medical records, and confidential usernames and passwords. Contact details can be found and reported through the "Results about you" tool, which asks users to log in with a Google Account; Google notes that removal from Search does not remove the information from the internet.

SourcesGoogle Search Help, Remove my private info from Google SearchGoogle Search Help, Find and remove personal info in Google Search results

Google may remove doxxing content from Search, which it defines as a page that shows personal information together with threats or harassment, or a significant amount of aggregated personal information without a legitimate purpose.

SourceGoogle Search Help, Remove my private info from Google Search

Google says it is its policy to comply with notices of copyright infringement, which it handles under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act through its Copyright Help Center.

SourceGoogle Legal Help, Report Content for Legal Reasons

Google says it might not remove content that is about something important or newsworthy, such as news coverage. It can only remove results from Google Search, so the content may remain on the source site and on other search engines, and right-to-be-forgotten delistings apply only to searches for the person's name.

SourcesGoogle Search Help, Remove my private info from Google SearchGoogle Legal Help, Right to be Forgotten Overview

Google says appeals are available to some users and content owners, including people who reported content and saw no action taken. Eligible people receive the appeal details in the decision notice, and most appeals should be filed within six months of receiving a decision; copyright and trademark appeals may be filed at any time.

SourceGoogle Legal Help, How to appeal a decision

Following a May 2014 European court ruling, and the GDPR's Article 17 right to erasure, people can ask Google to delist results for queries related to their name. Google weighs whether the information is inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive against the public interest in it remaining available, and delists URLs from versions of Google Search for countries applying European data protection law.

SourcesGoogle Legal Help, Right to be Forgotten OverviewRegulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), Article 17

YouTube's defamation help page for the United States says it is not in a position to adjudicate the truthfulness of postings and does not remove videos due to allegations of defamation, recommending that claims be pursued against the person who posted the content. It says it takes local legal considerations into account in its defamation blocking process, that some cases require a court order, and that it may comply with a court order requiring the creator to remove the posting.

SourceYouTube Help, Defamation (United States)

YouTube accepts privacy complaints when the person filing is uniquely identifiable in the content, meaning there is enough information for others to recognize them. It considers factors including public interest, newsworthiness, consent and whether the information is already public, and may give the uploader time to remove or edit the private information before acting.

SourceYouTube Help, YouTube Privacy Guidelines

YouTube's harassment and cyberbullying policy prohibits content that targets someone with prolonged insults or slurs, threats, or doxxing. Violating content is removed; a first violation usually brings a warning, and a channel that gets three strikes within 90 days may be terminated.

SourceYouTube Help, Harassment & cyberbullying policies

YouTube does not allow unauthorized impersonation of a person, entity or channel, such as copying another creator's name and branding or using AI to suggest that someone owns or endorses a channel. Impersonating channels can be reported through YouTube's channel reporting tools.

SourcesYouTube Help, Impersonation policyYouTube Help, Report inappropriate videos, channels & other content on YouTube (Computer), Report a channel

Copyright owners or their authorized representatives can submit a copyright removal request; for videos this can be done in YouTube Studio or by email, fax or mail. The request can be scheduled to take effect after 7 days, giving the uploader time to act and avoid a copyright strike, and YouTube warns that misuse of its processes, such as fraudulent documentation, may result in account termination.

SourceYouTube Help, Submit a copyright removal request

YouTube says a first name without additional context or a fleeting image would not likely make someone uniquely identifiable, and it does not accept privacy complaints filed on behalf of other family members, coworkers or companies. Its harassment policy may allow educational, documentary, scientific or artistic content and public-interest debate about high-profile officials, and its US defamation page says it does not remove videos on allegations of defamation alone.

SourcesYouTube Help, YouTube Privacy GuidelinesYouTube Help, Harassment & cyberbullying policiesYouTube Help, Defamation (United States)

Creators can appeal a Community Guidelines warning or strike within 6 months and a content removal within 1 year, and each strike can be appealed only once. If the content is found to follow the guidelines it is reinstated and the strike removed; losing an appeal adds no extra penalty.

SourceYouTube Help, Appeal a Community Guidelines strike or video removal

Article 16 of the Digital Services Act requires hosting services to let people notify them of allegedly illegal content. For Google services identified under the DSA as online platforms, Google says EU users can also take certain disputes to certified out-of-court dispute settlement bodies, and that Google is not bound by their decisions.

SourcesRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16EU Out-of-Court Dispute Resolution Help Center, European Union Digital Services Act Resolution Options

Facebook's Defamation Reporting Form says a report must come from the injured person or their authorized representative, such as a lawyer. Depending on the country selected, the form says Facebook is not in a position to adjudicate the truth or falsity of statements made by third parties and cannot act on the content without a court order establishing that it is unlawful; a court order obtained against the poster can be provided to Facebook.

SourceFacebook Help Center, Defamation Reporting Form

Meta's privacy violations policy prohibits sharing others' personally identifiable information, such as national identification numbers, full private residential addresses and information that clearly comes from medical records. A reported photo or video of a person may be removed if the person depicted is a minor, an incapacitated person or an adult outside the United States, and in most of these cases the report must come from the person shown (or, for children under 13, a parent or legal guardian).

SourcesMeta Transparency Center, Privacy ViolationsFacebook Help Center, Report a photo or video on Facebook that violates my privacy

Meta's bullying and harassment policy, which applies to Facebook, Instagram and Threads, distinguishes public figures from private individuals: for public figures it removes severe attacks and some attacks where they are directly tagged, while private individuals get broader protection. Meta says that in some cases it needs the targeted person to report the content before it can act.

SourceMeta Transparency Center, Bullying and Harassment

Facebook says profiles and Pages that impersonate other people go against its Community Standards and are not allowed. People can report a profile or Page pretending to be them, someone they know or a public figure, even if they do not have a Facebook account.

SourceFacebook Help Center, Report a Facebook profile or Page pretending to be you or someone else

Only the copyright owner or their authorized representative may file a copyright report, through Facebook's form or its designated agent. Facebook says it regularly provides the rights owner's name, the reporter's email and the details of the report to the person who posted the content.

SourceFacebook Help Center, How do I report copyright infringement on Facebook?

Meta says it allows critical commentary about people in the news or with large audiences, and for public figures it removes only severe attacks and some directly tagged ones. Facebook notes that reporting content does not guarantee removal, and its defamation form says that, depending on the jurisdiction, Facebook cannot act on allegedly defamatory content without a court order establishing that it is unlawful.

SourcesMeta Transparency Center, Bullying and HarassmentFacebook Help Center, Legal Removal RequestFacebook Help Center, Defamation Reporting Form

People who disagree with a content decision, about their own content or content they reported, must first request another review from Facebook. If Facebook upholds its decision after two reviews, they may be able to appeal to the Oversight Board within 15 days of the decision, though the Board selects only a limited number of eligible appeals.

SourceFacebook Help Center, Appeal a Facebook content decision to the Oversight Board

Article 16 of the Digital Services Act requires hosting services to let people in the EU notify them of allegedly illegal content. Facebook's Help Center offers a Legal Removal Request form for content a person believes is illegal and notes that reporting something does not guarantee it will be removed.

SourcesRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16Facebook Help Center, Legal Removal Request

Instagram's Defamation Reporting Form covers content on Instagram or Threads and must be filed by the injured party or someone authorized to report on their behalf. Depending on the jurisdiction selected, the form says Instagram is not in a position to adjudicate the truth or falsity of statements made by third parties and cannot act on the content without a court order establishing that it is unlawful; if a court order is obtained against the poster, it can be provided to Instagram, which says it will look into the matter further.

SourceInstagram Help Center, Defamation Reporting Form

Instagram says posting private and confidential information, such as credit card information, social security or other national identity numbers, private address or location information, and non-public phone numbers and email addresses, violates its Terms of Use. It removes reported photos or videos if required by relevant privacy laws in the reporter's country, as long as they involve the reporter, their child (under 13) or someone for whom they are the legal representative or guardian; content involving anyone else must be reported by that person.

SourceInstagram Help Center, Exposed Private Information

Meta's bullying and harassment policy, which applies to Facebook, Instagram and Threads, distinguishes public figures from private individuals: for public figures it removes severe attacks and some attacks where they are directly tagged, while private individuals get broader protection. Meta says that in some cases it needs the targeted person to report the content before it can act.

SourceMeta Transparency Center, Bullying and Harassment

Instagram lets people report an account created to impersonate them, from within the app if they have an Instagram account or through a contact form if they do not. Instagram says the reported account will not see who reported it.

SourceInstagram Help Center, Report an account that's impersonating you on Instagram

People who believe their copyrighted work is being used on Instagram or Threads without permission can report it through Instagram's copyright form. Instagram notes that copyright law varies by country and that it cannot provide legal advice.

SourceInstagram Help Center, Copyright

Instagram says not all information a person considers private violates its terms, it cannot remove private information posted publicly outside Instagram or Threads, and it acts on private information only when it relates to the reporter or the reporter shows authorization. Its defamation form says that, depending on the jurisdiction, Instagram cannot act without a court order establishing that the content is unlawful.

SourcesInstagram Help Center, Exposed Private InformationInstagram Help Center, Defamation Reporting Form

If Instagram leaves up content someone reported, it usually offers the option to request another review, and the content is reviewed again, usually within 24 hours. If Instagram upholds its decision a second time, the reporter may be able to appeal to the Oversight Board, though not all decisions are eligible and the Board selects only a certain number of eligible appeals.

SourceInstagram Help Center, What to do if Instagram didn't remove content you reported

Article 16 of the Digital Services Act requires hosting services to let people in the EU notify them of allegedly illegal content. Instagram says people who live in the EU can use its legal removal request form for content on Instagram or Threads they believe is illegal, and that reporting does not guarantee removal.

SourcesRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16Instagram Help Center, Legal Removal Request

TikTok lists defamation, described as a false statement of fact or allegation about an individual or organisation, as a category under "Report illegal content" in its Report menu. The reporter must select the country where they think the content is illegal and explain why it breaks the law. If TikTok finds the content illegal, it says it will generally restrict access in that country, in some cases across the EEA, or remove it entirely.

SourceTikTok, Reporting Illegal Content

TikTok's Community Guidelines say it does not allow content with personal information that could lead to stalking, identity theft, fraud or other harm. TikTok says it may also remove moderate-risk personal information shared without consent if it puts someone at risk of psychological harm, and that it generally requires additional context for such removals.

SourceTikTok Community Guidelines, Privacy and Security

TikTok's Community Guidelines say it does not allow harassment or bullying, including when it is done in retaliation. TikTok allows more critical commentary about public figures than about private figures, but says it still removes the most harmful content about them, such as doxing and sexual harassment.

SourceTikTok Community Guidelines, Safety and Civility

TikTok's Community Guidelines list impersonation among the deceptive behaviours they prohibit. They allow multiple accounts, for example for fan content or creative expression, but not to deceive others or break the rules.

SourceTikTok Community Guidelines, Integrity and Authenticity

Rightsholders can file a Copyright Infringement Report through TikTok's online form or in the app, and TikTok encourages them to contact the user first. TikTok says it has a repeat infringer policy and may immediately ban accounts in cases of severe copyright violations. Affected users can appeal through the in-app notification or, outside the EU, with a counter-notification under the DMCA or similar laws.

SourceTikTok, Intellectual Property Policy

TikTok says it allows more critical commentary about public figures than about private figures, and that respectful discussion does not require agreement. For content found illegal under local law but not against its rules, TikTok says it generally restricts access in the country concerned rather than removing it everywhere.

SourcesTikTok Community Guidelines, Safety and CivilityTikTok, Reporting Illegal Content

TikTok says that if your account was banned or your content was restricted and you believe this was an error, you may appeal, and you can view the appeal's status in the in-app Safety Center. People who report illegal content are notified of the decision and can appeal decisions they disagree with.

SourcesTikTok Safety Center, EnforcementTikTok, Reporting Illegal Content

TikTok's "Report illegal content" option says anyone can report illegal content, even if it does not involve them, and asks the reporter to name the country where the content is illegal and explain why. A specialist moderation team, with legal reviewers where necessary, assesses each report, and TikTok may restrict access in that country or across the EEA.

SourcesTikTok, Reporting Illegal ContentRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16

X says it receives legal requests alleging that content is illegal in one or more countries, for example under laws on defamation. If reported content breaks X's Terms of Service or Rules, it is removed; if it only allegedly breaks a local law, X says it will attempt to notify the account holder and may withhold access to the content in the location where it is alleged to be illegal.

SourceX Help Center, Legal request FAQs

X's private information policy prohibits threatening to expose, or posting, other people's private information without their permission, such as home addresses, identity documents, non-public contact details, financial account details and health information. It also prohibits sharing media of private individuals without the consent of the people depicted, and says this part of the policy does not apply to public figures.

SourceX Help Center, Private information policy

X's rules say you may not target others with abuse or harassment, or encourage other people to do so, including targeted harassment and incitement of harassment. Anyone can report violations, but X says it sometimes needs to hear directly from the person targeted before taking action.

SourceX Help Center, Abuse and harassment

X's authenticity policy says you may not impersonate individuals, groups or organizations to deceive others. Parody, commentary and fan accounts are allowed only if they meet labelling requirements, such as a PCF label, a non-identical avatar and terms like "parody" or "fan" in the account name and bio.

SourceX Help Center, Authenticity

X responds to copyright complaints submitted under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act or other applicable notice-and-takedown laws, such as reports about copyrighted images used as profile photos or uploaded media. Users whose content is restricted receive instructions on filing a counter-notice. X notes that not all unauthorized uses of copyrighted material are infringements.

SourceX Help Center, Copyright policy

X says it will not take action on critical commentary about institutions, practices and ideas, and will not act against every use of insulting terms. Its private information policy does not treat names, places of education or employment, or gossip, rumors, accusations and allegations as private, and allows sharing information that is publicly available elsewhere in a non-abusive manner; its private media rule does not apply to public figures or to media shared in the public interest.

SourcesX Help Center, Abuse and harassmentX Help Center, Private information policy

X's policy pages say that anyone who believes their posts or account were enforced against in error can submit an appeal. For content withheld in a country, X says users can appeal by replying to the email notifying them of the withholding (if based on a legal demand) or by contacting its Help Center (if withheld based on local law), and that, where it can, it restores access to withheld content that later becomes allowed.

SourcesX Help Center, Abuse and harassmentX Help Center, Legal request FAQs

X's European Union Reporting form offers options to report illegal content in the EU, to appeal a content decision in the EU and to get information about out-of-court dispute settlement.

SourcesX Help Center, European Union ReportingRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16

Reddit's help center does not single out defamation; it says Reddit receives requests from private parties to remove content they believe violates local law and, assuming the content does not break the Reddit Rules, evaluates the request under both local and international law, including human rights standards. Where content appears to violate local law, Reddit may restrict access to it in the relevant country.

SourceReddit Help, Why is content being restricted in my country?

Reddit's help center says it is not okay to post someone's personal information or links to it, and that doing so will get the poster banned. Public figures can be an exception, such as professional links to contact a congressman or a company CEO, but not content inviting harassment.

SourceReddit Help, Is posting someone's private or personal information okay?

Reddit prohibits behaviour that bullies, intimidates or targets people or communities with abuse, focusing on targeted, severe or patterned abuse rather than individual insults. Reddit says the policy is not meant to shield ideas, organizations or public figures from criticism, even harsh criticism.

SourceReddit Help, Harassment

Reddit prohibits impersonating individuals or entities in a misleading or deceptive manner. It encourages accounts and communities dedicated to commentary, fandom, satire or parody to disclose that, for example by marking themselves as unofficial.

SourceReddit Help, Impersonation

Copyright owners or their authorized representatives can report violations through Reddit's copyright form. When Reddit receives a valid takedown notice, it says it will remove the content, notify the user who posted it and confirm the removal to the reporter, and in appropriate circumstances it bans accounts that repeatedly violate its Copyright Policy. Users can appeal within six months of receiving the removal message.

SourceReddit Help, Copyright overview

Reddit's harassment policy lists examples it does not treat as violations, such as criticizing a public figure's voting record or public statements, calling someone a jerk in a heated debate, or sharing your own story about a negative interaction without directing others to act. Its impersonation policy allows using a company's name to discuss its products or business practices.

SourcesReddit Help, HarassmentReddit Help, Impersonation

When Reddit removes content or takes action against an account for breaking the Reddit Rules, it says it notifies the account with the reason and instructions for appealing. Users may submit an appeal within six months of the notification, and Reddit says it reverses decisions it finds were incorrect.

SourceReddit Help, Content Moderation, Enforcement, and Appeals

Reddit provides a form for reporting content believed to be illegal or restricted for minors in the European Union, for individuals claiming legal rights in the EU and for designated trusted flaggers, whose reports are prioritized. Reddit says it may restrict access to content found to violate the law of the EU country named in the report.

SourcesReddit Help, Digital Services Act (DSA): Information for EU usersRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16

LinkedIn says defamation laws vary significantly between countries and that in some countries, including the United States, it generally requires a court order before removing content on defamation grounds. It says that in many cases, including in the United States, it is unable to act on defamation notices, and that it is often more productive to contact the member who posted the content. People who believe in good faith that content defames them can use the Defamation Report form or send a notice by mail.

SourceLinkedIn Help, Notices regarding content posted on the LinkedIn website

LinkedIn's Professional Community Policies tell members not to reveal others' personal or sensitive information, for example by doxing, or to incite others to do so. Its harassment guidance lists doxxing or sharing personal information about others as an example of prohibited harassment.

SourcesLinkedIn Professional Community PoliciesLinkedIn Help, Harassment and abusive content

LinkedIn says it does not allow bullying or harassment and removes content that personally attacks, intimidates, shames, bullies or disparages other members. Its guidance allows disagreement with and criticism of policies, matters of public interest or organizations without insults or vilification, and heightened negative criticism of public figures such as politicians and celebrities.

SourcesLinkedIn Professional Community PoliciesLinkedIn Help, Harassment and abusive content

LinkedIn's Professional Community Policies say it does not allow fake profiles or entities, and that members must not use another person's account or create a member profile for anyone other than themselves. Members can report a profile from its More menu by choosing "This person is impersonating someone" or "This account is not a real person".

SourcesLinkedIn Professional Community PoliciesLinkedIn Help, Report fake profiles

LinkedIn accepts copyright infringement notices through an online form or by mail to its Copyright Agent; notices must be submitted under penalty of perjury, and a counter-notice process is available. It says it may disable or terminate the accounts of members who infringe or repeatedly infringe the rights of others, in appropriate circumstances and in its discretion.

SourceLinkedIn Copyright Policy

LinkedIn says that in some countries, including the United States, it generally requires a court order before removing content on defamation grounds, and that in many cases it is unable to act on defamation notices. Its harassment policy allows disagreement and criticism that does not insult or vilify, heightened negative criticism of public figures, and calling out abusive conduct as long as the focus remains on the behavior.

SourcesLinkedIn Help, Notices regarding content posted on the LinkedIn websiteLinkedIn Help, Harassment and abusive content

LinkedIn says it generally sends a notice explaining its decision, which may include the opportunity to submit an appeal if the member believes the action was in error, and that each decision can be appealed only once. People in the European Union may also be able to use an out-of-court dispute settlement body certified under Article 21 of the Digital Services Act.

SourceLinkedIn Help, Redress rights

Wikipedia's No legal threats policy says people who believe they are the subject of a libellous statement should email info-en-q@wikipedia.org, and that the policy on defamation is to delete libel as soon as it is identified. The oversight team can suppress clearly or likely libellous content from page history. Users who post legal threats are typically blocked while the threats are outstanding.

SourcesWikipedia:No legal threatsWikipedia:Requests for oversight

The Biographies of living persons policy says articles should not include postal addresses, email addresses, phone numbers or other contact details of living people, and that full names and dates of birth are included only when widely published by reliable sources. Non-public personal information about a real person can be suppressed by the oversight team, and any user or reader may request this by email.

SourcesWikipedia:Biographies of living personsWikipedia:Requests for oversight

Wikipedia's harassment policy describes harassment as a pattern of repeated offensive behaviour that appears to a reasonable observer to intentionally target a specific person. Posting another editor's personal information is unacceptable unless they posted it voluntarily on Wikipedia, and such information can be removed from page histories by the oversight team.

SourceWikipedia:Harassment

Wikipedia's username policy does not allow usernames that impersonate other people, or usernames likely to imply the user is a specific identifiable person unless it is their real name. Such an account may be blocked as a precaution against impersonation until the user provides proof of identity through the Volunteer Response Team.

SourceWikipedia:Username policy

Copyright owners can email an informal request to info-en-c@wikimedia.org, report the article at Wikipedia:Copyright problems, or send a formal notice to the Wikimedia Foundation's designated agent. The Foundation says takedown notices may be sent to third parties, including the content uploader, and may be published, including on the Lumen database.

SourcesWikipedia:Copyright violationsWikimedia Foundation, Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedowns

The Wikimedia Foundation says it does not create, edit or manage content and would only remove content for strict legal reasons, leaving other concerns, such as whether an article is insufficiently neutral, to the community. Volunteer Response Team agents do not have specific editorial control, and the agent answering an email generally will not make edits on the requester's behalf; content disagreements are not resolved by email. Under the BLP policy, a noteworthy, relevant and well-documented allegation about a public figure belongs in the article even if it is negative and the subject dislikes it.

SourcesWikimedia Foundation Legal and Safety Contact InformationWikipedia:Volunteer Response TeamWikipedia:Contact usWikipedia:Biographies of living persons

The Wikimedia Foundation encourages people to resolve content complaints directly with the project's user community before contacting it. For actions taken by the Foundation itself (Office Actions), EU users can appeal by email no later than six months after the decision, with specific supporting evidence.

SourceWikimedia Foundation, EU Compliance

The Wikimedia Foundation asks private persons or organizations reporting allegedly illegal content on its sites to include the information required by Article 16(2) of the Digital Services Act, and accepts legal complaints by email or post. It encourages people to try to resolve content complaints with the project's user community first.

SourcesWikimedia Foundation, EU ComplianceRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16

Google's Maps content policy prohibits unsubstantiated allegations of unethical behavior or criminal wrongdoing as offensive content. Separately, Google says users can report Maps content they believe violates local law through its legal reporting troubleshooter.

SourcesMaps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted contentMaps User Generated Content Policy Help, Legal Removals

Google's Maps policy says not to distribute or post personal information without consent. Merchants may post contact information related to their business, and individuals' names are allowed when they are part of the commonly known or advertised business or belong to a public-facing professional conducting business under their name.

SourceMaps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted content

Google's Maps policy prohibits harassment, including content that contains a specific threat of harm against individuals or defined groups, and doxxing.

SourceMaps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted content

Google's Maps policy prohibits using Google Maps to impersonate any person, group or organization, or pretending to be a verified authoritative source. Alternative names are allowed when they are not meant to mislead.

SourceMaps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted content

Google says fake engagement is not allowed and will be removed, including content not based on a real experience, reviews or ratings that have been paid for, and content based on a conflict of interest such as current or former employment or industry competitors. Merchants may not offer incentives for posting reviews or for revising or removing negative ones, and Google calls negative-review extortion scams a serious policy violation, with a dedicated report form.

SourcesMaps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted contentGoogle Business Profile Help, Report negative review extortion scams on your Business Profile

Google's policy allows content that describes negative experiences in a respectful manner. Google says only reviews that violate its policies are eligible for removal, advises business owners not to report reviews they simply dislike or disagree with, and says it does not intervene in disputes between businesses and customers.

SourcesMaps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted contentGoogle Business Profile Help, Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile

If a review a business owner reported is not removed, the owner can submit a one-time appeal through the Reviews Management Tool, selecting up to 10 reviews. Google emails the result: reviews found to violate policy are removed and compliant reviews stay live.

SourceGoogle Business Profile Help, Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile

Article 16 of the Digital Services Act requires hosting services to let people notify them of allegedly illegal content. For Google services identified under the DSA as online platforms, Google says EU users can also take certain disputes to certified out-of-court dispute settlement bodies, and that Google is not bound by their decisions.

SourcesRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), Article 16EU Out-of-Court Dispute Resolution Help Center, European Union Digital Services Act Resolution Options

Trustpilot's Guidelines for Reviewers list defamation under harmful or illegal content, defining it as a false statement about a person or business that harms their reputation and leads to significant financial loss. The guidelines say only businesses can report a review for defamation.

SourceTrustpilot, Guidelines for reviewers

Trustpilot says it does not allow content that contains another person's personal information. Businesses and consumers can flag a review for containing personal information.

SourcesTrustpilot, Guidelines for reviewersTrustpilot, Guidelines for businesses

Under harmful or illegal content, Trustpilot's guidelines list threats or violence, described as content that incites or glorifies harm, including abusive behavior. Trustpilot says it will remove harmful or illegal content when it becomes aware of it.

SourceTrustpilot, Guidelines for reviewers

Trustpilot's Guidelines for Reviewers list promoting misinformation or impersonation, including rumours confirmed by the authorities as false, as content that is not allowed.

SourceTrustpilot, Guidelines for reviewers

Trustpilot's Copyright Dispute Policy lets rights holders send a copyright infringement notice to its Copyright Agent through its contact form, by email or by post. It says its policy is to remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material and notify both parties, and that the person affected can send a counter-notice.

SourceTrustpilot, Copyright Dispute Policy

Trustpilot says fake reviews undermine trust and are illegal, and that every review must be based on a genuine experience. It says it runs all reviews through automated detection software before posting them and removes fake reviews it detects, and that when it suspects a business wrote or procured fake reviews it immediately places them offline.

SourcesTrustpilot, Guidelines for reviewersTrustpilot, Action we take

Trustpilot says it won't remove a review just because a business thinks it is unfair or critical, because it mentions or compares a competitor, or because it is non-specific and doesn't name the business. It says it takes a neutral stance and does not get involved in factual disputes unless the law requires it. Flagged content generally stays visible during an investigation, except reviews flagged as harmful or illegal, which are hidden while Trustpilot investigates.

SourcesTrustpilot, Guidelines for businessesTrustpilot, Guidelines for reviewers

Trustpilot says that if you disagree with a decision you can reply to the decision email with your reasoning. If you still disagree, its guidelines say you can submit an appeal using the link in the footer of the decision email.

SourcesTrustpilot, Guidelines for businessesTrustpilot, Guidelines for reviewers

Trustpilot publishes Digital Services Act contact points: a form for EU regulators' removal orders and information requests, and a separate form for Trusted Flaggers. It says community members can report illegal content with its flagging tools or contact form. Article 16 of the DSA requires hosting services to provide such a notice-and-action mechanism.

SourcesTrustpilot, EU Digital Services Act: Contact points on TrustpilotRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), art. 16

Yelp says it generally allows users to stand behind what they write and doesn't take sides in factual disputes. If moderators did not remove a reported review but you have obtained a final order from a court of competent jurisdiction explaining why the review is defamatory, Yelp asks you to contact its Support team.

SourceYelp Support Center, Will Yelp remove a false or defamatory review?

Yelp's Content Guidelines say users should not publicize people's private information. Examples include close-up photos or videos of other patrons without permission, and other people's full names unless the person is commonly referred to by their full name.

SourceYelp, Content Guidelines

Yelp's Content Guidelines allow colorful language and imagery but say there is no place for threats, harassment, lewdness, hate speech or other displays of bigotry.

SourceYelp, Content Guidelines

Yelp's Terms of Service say users may not impersonate someone else, provide an email address other than their own, create multiple accounts or create or use a consumer account for anyone other than themselves.

SourceYelp, Terms of Service

Yelp's Infringement Policies ask people who believe their copyright or trademark is infringed on the site to send a notice identifying the work and the allegedly infringing content, by post, fax or an online contact form, and offer a counter-notice. Its Terms of Service say Yelp may forward such notices to the user who submitted the content.

SourcesYelp, Infringement PoliciesYelp, Terms of Service

Yelp's Content Guidelines say users shouldn't review their own business or employer, friends' or relatives' businesses, peers or competitors, and that businesses should never ask customers to write reviews. The guidelines also say users should not copy content from others or use third-party AI tools to create reviews. Yelp's automated recommendation software evaluates every review, and reviews that are not recommended don't factor into a business's star rating or review count.

SourcesYelp, Content GuidelinesYelp Trust & Safety, Recommendation software

Yelp says it generally allows users to stand behind what they write and doesn't take sides in factual disputes. It says reviews that are not recommended remain accessible through a link at the bottom of the business page, that there is no connection between advertising on Yelp and how the software treats a business, and that no Yelp employee can override the software's decisions.

SourcesYelp Support Center, Will Yelp remove a false or defamatory review?Yelp Trust & Safety, Recommendation software

Yelp says you can contact its Support team to ask for a second evaluation of something you reported that was not removed. It notes that original decisions about removing content are not commonly reversed.

SourceYelp Support Center, Can I request a second evaluation of something I reported that did not get removed?

Yelp's Digital Services Act page says people can report content they believe is illegal under EU law through Yelp's in-product reporting features or a separate web form, and can appeal Yelp's content and account moderation decisions within six months. It says no out-of-court dispute settlement body has yet been certified as to Yelp. Article 16 of the DSA requires hosting services to provide a notice-and-action mechanism.

SourcesYelp Support Center, Digital Services ActYelp, Terms of ServiceRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), art. 16

Glassdoor says it does not remove reviews solely because they are reported as false or defamatory, and does not independently fact-check reviews or take sides in factual disputes. It says it may remove a review if it is clear the review is false based on reliable, independent information, such as facts from a reputable news outlet. It does not accept evidence submitted to support reports of flagged reviews.

SourcesGlassdoor Help Center, Will Glassdoor remove a review that I flag as false and defamatory?Glassdoor, When Does Glassdoor Remove User Content?

Glassdoor's Community Guidelines say users must not reveal the identity of another user or non-executive in a way that is unwanted or unwarranted, and that revealing someone's personal or confidential information to instigate harassment is not allowed. Reviews may not identify the reviewer or include contact information about the reviewer or others.

SourceGlassdoor, Community Guidelines

Glassdoor's Community Guidelines prohibit content that is aggressive, offensive or targets someone in a malicious or deliberately disrespectful way, including targeted abuse, insults used to harass or intimidate, hateful content and violent threats. Negative comments about identifiable individuals are allowed only about people in the highest positions in a company, such as C-suite executives or founders, and only when they describe workplace behavior or performance.

SourceGlassdoor, Community Guidelines

Glassdoor's Community Guidelines say users must not intentionally impersonate another person, living or dead, on its services.

SourceGlassdoor, Community Guidelines

Glassdoor's Terms of Use set out a DMCA process under which a copyright owner or agent may send a notice asking for allegedly infringing material to be removed or blocked. The Community Guidelines also prohibit posting copyrighted photos the user does not own.

SourcesGlassdoor Terms of Use, section 6.2 (Copyright Policy)Glassdoor, Community Guidelines

Glassdoor says it removes content when it has evidence that users were incentivized or coerced into leaving it, and removes reviews when it finds evidence of abuse of its one review, per year, per company policy. It says it uses proprietary technology to detect attempted abuse and gaming, and may post a Glassdoor Alert on an employer's profile and review pages if the practice persists.

SourcesGlassdoor, Community GuidelinesGlassdoor Help Center, I'm an employer. What can I do about negative reviews on Glassdoor?

Glassdoor says employers cannot pay to have reviews removed, that it will not tell an employer who wrote a review and that it does not remove companies from the platform at their request. It says it never suppresses, filters or deletes content simply because it is negative, does not remove reviews because of their age, and that content decisions are at its sole discretion and not open to negotiation. It says it objects to and resists subpoenas seeking user information and that, to compel disclosure, a plaintiff must establish a prima facie claim, which a court decides.

SourcesGlassdoor Help Center, I'm an employer. What can I do about negative reviews on Glassdoor?Glassdoor, When Does Glassdoor Remove User Content?Glassdoor, Community GuidelinesGlassdoor Help Center, How Glassdoor handles legal requests for user information

Glassdoor says a reviewer whose contribution was removed within the last 30 days may have the option to revise and resubmit it; otherwise a new review is needed. For users in the EEA, its Terms of Use say a complaint asking for reconsideration of a previous decision is reviewed by a human, with a decision sent by email.

SourcesGlassdoor, When Does Glassdoor Remove User Content?Glassdoor Terms of Use, section 4.5

Glassdoor's Terms of Use say its Digital Services Act contact point, internal complaint handling system and notice-and-action submission page are on its Digital Services page. They say complaints asking for removal or reconsideration are reviewed by a human, and that EEA residents can use a designated out-of-court dispute settlement body. Article 16 of the DSA requires hosting services to provide a notice-and-action mechanism.

SourcesGlassdoor Terms of Use, section 4.5Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), art. 16

G2's Review Validity page lists targeted defamation among the kinds of responses that will not be approved for publication. G2 says it does not act as a fact-finder to settle disputes between sellers and G2 users.

SourcesG2, Review ValidityG2, Community Guidelines

G2's Community Guidelines bar reviews that include confidential or proprietary third-party information the reviewer is not authorized to disclose. Vendors may not collect or disclose private or personally identifying information of anyone in the G2 community, or try to identify or contact a reviewer to pressure them to change a review.

SourceG2, Community Guidelines

G2's Community Guidelines bar reviews with vulgar, disrespectful or offensive language, including content that harasses an individual or group based on race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity, political group, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

SourceG2, Community Guidelines

G2's Community Guidelines do not allow reviews written on behalf of someone else or submitted under a false identity. Vendors may not log in using an alias that masks their true identity.

SourceG2, Community Guidelines

G2's Copyright Complaint Policy asks rights holders to send a written notice to its designated Copyright Agent, its legal team, to request removal of the material or of access to it. G2 says it will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with applicable law, and users can send a counter-notification.

SourceG2, Copyright Complaint Policy

G2 says only actual users of a product, business partners or guest users can leave reviews; employees of the product's company or of a direct competitor may not, and reviews based on someone else's experiences are not allowed. Vendors must not create, solicit or submit fake or inauthentic reviews, or collect reviews in a way that targets only positive ones. G2 says it clearly labels incentivized reviews, and sanctions can include review removal, banning a vendor or product, and a banner on the product's profile.

SourceG2, Community Guidelines

G2 says it does not edit or remove reviews at a seller's request and will never suppress or hide negative reviews. It says it cannot reject reviews simply for being generic and does not, under any circumstances, edit the content of a review. Disputes that call G2's branding or image into question for accepting a disputed review will be rejected.

SourcesG2, Community GuidelinesG2, Review Validity

G2 says a reviewer whose review is rejected receives an email with the reason and can appeal by submitting a support ticket via support.g2.com. Users whose accounts are banned can email concerns@g2.com to appeal, and G2 says it accepts vendor appeals through a standard review process.

SourceG2, Community Guidelines

G2's Digital Services Act page says users may report illegal content using an online form and have six months from a decision to dispute it. It says users may also go to an out-of-court dispute settlement body, whose decisions are not binding on the user or G2. Article 16 of the DSA requires hosting services to provide a notice-and-action mechanism.

SourcesG2, European Union Digital Services ActRegulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act), art. 16

BBB's Terms of Use prohibit submitting user content that is defamatory, libelous, false, fraudulent or misleading. When submitting a review, the reviewer certifies that it is a genuine opinion and that they alone are legally responsible for the truth of what they write.

SourcesBBB, Terms of UseBBB, Customer review submission terms

BBB says it removes inappropriate language and personal information before a review is published. Its complaint and review terms ask consumers not to include personally identifiable information and say BBB may edit submissions to protect privacy.

SourcesBBB, How BBB customer reviews workBBB, Customer review submission termsBBB, How BBB Complaints Are Handled

BBB's Terms of Use prohibit submitting user content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, invasive of another's privacy, hateful or discriminatory.

SourceBBB, Terms of Use

BBB's Terms of Use prohibit impersonating any person or entity or falsely stating or otherwise misrepresenting an affiliation with a person or entity.

SourceBBB, Terms of Use

BBB's Terms of Use say it is BBB's policy not to permit material known by it to infringe another party's copyright to remain on its sites. Rights holders can send a written notice in accordance with 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), and BBB says it will investigate and take appropriate action.

SourceBBB, Terms of Use, section 9

BBB says it validates the reviewer's email address or phone number, lets the business confirm the customer interaction and does not accept anonymous reviews or reviews where the consumer was compensated. It says BBB may ask a consumer to substantiate the marketplace experience, and that a consumer may file either a complaint or a review about an issue, but not both.

SourcesBBB, How BBB customer reviews workBBB, Frequently asked questions about customer reviewsBBB, Process of complaints and reviews

BBB says a complaint cannot be deleted once it has been submitted, and that complaints appear on BBB Business Profiles for three years from the filing date. It says that even with its verification steps it cannot guarantee the accuracy or truthfulness of any single review.

SourcesBBB, How BBB Complaints Are HandledBBB, How BBB customer reviews work

Ripoff Report says that when a US state or federal court has found specific statements of fact in a Report false and defamatory, in an order against the author that meets its listed conditions, it will generally redact those statements and post the order. It says it applies this policy at its discretion, that default judgments and stipulated orders do not meet its criteria, and that it does not redact statements of opinion or redact or remove entire postings.

SourceRipoff Report, Legal Department: U.S. Court Order Policy

Ripoff Report's Terms of Service reserve the right, without an obligation, to delete or redact private personal information such as national identification numbers, financial account details, full birthdates and the home addresses of individuals unless the home is used for business.

SourceRipoff Report, Terms of Service

Ripoff Report's Terms of Service tell users not to post with the sole intention to harass or bully any individual, including content that may be perceived as cyberharassment, cyberstalking, cyberbullying or a revenge post. It reserves the right, without an obligation, to delete or redact obvious instances of pure harassment or bullying and threats of physical violence.

SourceRipoff Report, Terms of Service

Ripoff Report says it is happy to comply with valid DMCA removal requests, sent to its registered DMCA agent in a notice that complies with 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3). It adds that someone using a photograph of you or related to your business does not necessarily mean there has been copyright infringement.

SourcesRipoff Report, Legal Department: Digital Millennium Copyright ActRipoff Report, Terms of Service, section 15

Ripoff Report says it will not agree to remove Reports and subsequent postings upon request, even if someone can show that a posting is probably inaccurate, and that requests to apply its court order policy to default or stipulated orders will be ignored. Its arbitration page says it cannot investigate the accuracy of Reports and that a Report found substantially false is redacted rather than removed. As legal context, 47 U.S.C. § 230(c)(1) provides that no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.

SourcesRipoff Report, Frequently Asked QuestionsRipoff Report, Legal Department: U.S. Court Order PolicyRipoff Report, Arbitration Program47 U.S.C. § 230