Google 'right to be forgotten' should be extended worldwide orders France

It comes after a ruling from the European Court of Justice last May allowed internet users to request that Google remove certain search results about them. However, this only applied to searches made via the search engine's European sites.

The order from CNIL to extend the process emerged because European citizens can complain if Google refuses a delisting request. CNIL said it had received "hundreds" of complaints about Google’s refusals to carry out delisting.

The watchdog added that although Google has granted some of the requests, delisting was only carried out on European extensions of the search engine and not when searches are made from google.com or other non-European extensions.

Google said in a statement published by the BBC: "We've been working hard to strike the right balance in implementing the European Court's ruling, co-operating closely with data protection authorities.

"The ruling focused on services directed to European users, and that's the approach we are taking in complying with it."

Should Google refuse to comply CNIL said it would start compiling a report about its refusal that would be used to decide if the search giant should be sanctioned.

In February this year Google's board clashed with EU regulators over the decision to expand the rules internationally. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, who sits on the board said in a statement released at the time:

“I completely oppose the legal situation in which a commercial company is forced to become the judge of our most fundamental rights of expression and privacy, without allowing any appropriate procedure for appeal by publishers whose works are being suppressed.

“The European Parliament needs to immediately amend the law to provide for appropriate judicial oversight, and with strengthened protections for freedom of expression."

He added that the law in its current form is “deeply flawed”.