Can I be forgotten and have my data erased in Sweden?
Yes — under GDPR (Article 17) you have a right to request that personal data about you be erased, and that search results on your name be removed. The request goes directly to the search engine (for example Google's form) or to the company — not to IMY, which is the most common misconception. They must reply without undue delay and at the latest within one month. The other thing people get wrong: a removed search result only removes the link at your name — the webpage remains, and to take it down you must contact the website yourself. The right applies only if your privacy interest outweighs the public's right to information, which is harder if you are a public figure.
📋 The rules
- Right to request erasure and removed search results (GDPR art. 17)
- Request directly from the search engine or company, not IMY
- Response at the latest within one month
- A removed search result only removes the link at your name
- Granted only if privacy outweighs the information interest
🔓 Exceptions
- A request can be refused if the data is needed for freedom of expression or legal claims
- Hard to enforce against a public figure
- Search services with a publishing certificate are largely outside GDPR
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The penalty lands on whoever holds the data, not on you. A company that wrongly refuses erasure can be fined by IMY up to 20 million euro or 4% of global turnover — the highest tier in GDPR. For you as an individual the consequence is quieter: the data stays where it is, and what you can do is file a complaint with IMY. A refusal is not always wrong: a request may be refused if the data is needed for freedom of expression or for legal claims, and search services with a publishing certificate sit largely outside GDPR.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Do I have a right to be forgotten?
Yes, GDPR gives you a right to request erasure and the removal of search results on your name. The right applies only where your privacy interest outweighs the public's right to information.
Who do I request it from?
Directly from the search engine or the company that holds the data, for example through Google's form. The request should not go to IMY, which only handles complaints after a refusal.
How quickly must they respond?
Without undue delay and at the latest within one month of your request. If longer passes with no answer, you can file a complaint with the Authority for Privacy Protection.
Does a removed search result remove the webpage?
No. It only removes the link at your name in the search engine, while the webpage itself stays online. To take the page down you must contact the website that published it.
What do I do if I am refused?
You can file a complaint with the Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY). But a refusal may be correct: the data may be kept if it is needed for freedom of expression or for legal claims.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I be forgotten gdpr sweden”
- “erase data google removal”
- “search result remove name”
- “right to erasure gdpr”
- “imy complaint erasure”
- “publishing certificate search service”