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Tavily Search Index & the Right to be Forgotten & to Object

Tavily Search offers advanced search functionalities that deliver accurate and relevant web results. Similar to other search engines, Tavily employs a web crawler to discover new web pages and index their content. The index we build is completely independent of other search engines, and all search results are exclusively served from this index.

Tavily Search and its underlying index are designed to support the legitimate interests of internet users by providing access to web information. In cases where indexing involves processing personal data, Tavily—as the controller of the index—relies on legitimate interests as defined under Article 6(1)(f) of the EU “General Data Protection Regulation” (GDPR), as well as other applicable data protection laws.

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Right to be forgotten and the right to object

The “right to be forgotten” (RTBF) was established by a 2014 ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU. That decision confirmed that EU data protection law gives individuals the ability to request that search engines delist results returned for their names. This right is now explicitly recognized in regulations such as the GDPR (Article 17).

However, the right to be forgotten is not absolute. When handling an RTBF request, a search engine must assess whether the personal data presented in search results is “inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant, or excessive.” It must also evaluate whether the information serves any public interest—such as being published to comply with a legal requirement.

When processing an RTBF request, we consider various criteria and follow regulatory guidance from bodies such as the European Data Protection Board and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. Factors include:

  • Your role in public life
  • Whether the information pertains to your professional or personal life
  • If the search result concerns an individual under 18
  • The factual accuracy of the data
  • The potential negative impact on your life
  • Whether the information could be considered hate speech, slander, libel, or similar under a court order
  • The potential risk to the individual
  • Whether the data has been published to fulfill a legal obligation
  • If the data qualifies as “sensitive personal data” (e.g., health information or criminal records)

Additionally, GDPR (Articles 17.1.c and 21.1) provides individuals with the right to object to the processing of their personal data based on their specific circumstances. In the context of search engines, both the RTBF and the Right to Object are implemented by delisting URLs that expose personal data. Requests are reviewed according to the criteria established by the CJEU and data protection authorities.

Tavily applies RTBF and the Right to Object globally, in accordance with local laws.

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Preliminary steps before submitting a request

Before making an RTBF or Right to Object request, consider these steps:

  • Contact the Website Owner: Request that the site removes your personal data, as it may otherwise be reindexed.
  • Update Your Website: If the data appears on your own site, verify that it isn’t hard-coded (for example, in a business address or telephone number). You can check by right-clicking on the page, selecting “View source,” and using Ctrl + F to search for the data. Once updated or removed, you can submit your page to be re-fetched.
  • Use Privacy Controls: For data on social media platforms, adjust available privacy settings to keep your data private.

If you wish to prevent search engines from indexing your page, please follow the instructions provided on this page.

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Submitting an RTBF or right to object request

If you find that a Tavily Search result includes personal data you would like removed, please email us at support@tavily.com.(with “RTBF request” in the subject line) and include the following details:

  • The full name(s) used to perform the search on Tavily.
  • An explanation of how the specific content relates to you.
  • Your name (or the name of the individual you represent) along with a contact email address.
  • The URL(s) for each result you wish to have delisted from Tavily’s search index.
  • Confirmation of whether the URL in question contains personal data that is inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant, or excessive, or otherwise adversely impacts your privacy.

We may request proof of identity if necessary, but please do not send such documentation unless specifically asked.

Please note that once we agree to delist a search result, the process can take up to 30 days to complete.

According to the Tavily Search Privacy Notice, our search service is designed to protect your privacy by default. We do not collect personal information about you, your device, or your searches, nor do we share data that could be used to profile or track you. Your searches remain private.

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Contacting Tavily about your privacy

For any privacy-related inquiries, please reach out at support@tavily.com.