How to Request the Removal of Deepfake Adult Content from Google’s Search Results

The digital realm is increasingly populated with deepfakes, the majority of which are explicit.

A study by Home Security Heroes has found that 98% of deepfake content online is of a pornographic nature. The advent of user-friendly, widely accessible AI tools for creating deepfakes has led to a 550% surge in their online presence from 2019 to 2023, including countless nonconsensual examples.

Amidst slow progress on laws tackling nonconsensual deepfakes in places like the U.S., steps to facilitate their removal from Google Search have somewhat eased the process, introducing new tools for this purpose.

Google has updated its Search functionality to better handle the issue of deepfake pornography. This includes modifications to its Search algorithm to de-emphasize such content and a new, faster process for the removal of nonconsensual deepfake pornography from its Search results.

Here’s a guide on how to utilize these tools.

How to Initiate a Removal Request

To request the removal of nonconsensual pornographic deepfake material — be it a web page, image, or video — from Google Search, this online form can be utilized. It is worth noting that child sexual abuse imagery requires a different form, and the material in question must fit Google’s criteria for removal, described as follows:

• Material that is nude, sexually explicit, or of an intimate nature distributed without consent; OR
• Material that falsely depicts you in a nude or sexually explicit scenario; OR
• Material that wrongly associates you or your name with sexual activities.

First, select “Content contains nudity or sexual material option,” and then proceed to the following page.

Next, confirm that the content falsely portrays you in a sexual act or state, sometimes referred to as a “deepfake” or “fake pornography.”

In the final step of the form, after filling in your name, country, and contact email, indicate whether the depicted individual is you or someone else. Google permits content to be removed by an “authorized representative” of the depicted individual, provided they can demonstrate their authority to do so.

In the content information section, provide URLs for the deepfake content and for the Google Search results where they appear (up to 1,000 of each), alongside search terms that bring up the deepfakes. You must also upload screenshots of the reported content and share any further details that might assist your case.

Follow-up Steps After Request Submission

Upon request submission, you will receive an automated email for confirmation. The request will undergo review, possibly leading to requests for additional information (like more URLs). Notifications will be sent regarding any actions taken. If the request doesn’t meet Google’s criteria for removal, an explanation will be provided.

Denied requests may be resubmitted with fresh supporting evidence.

Google explains that successful removal requests will lead to the scrubbing of explicit deepfake results from all similar searches regarding the person in question. Furthermore, Google’s policies on image removal from Search include proactive measures to identify and eliminate any duplicates of the removed imagery found online.

According to Google, these mechanisms have been effective against other forms of non-consensual imagery, and similar strategies have been developed for handling fake explicit images, with the goal of providing individuals greater reassurance against future similar violations.