In 2019, Germany's highest court ruled that a man convicted
of murder in 1982 has the "right to be forgotten",
meaning his name can be removed from online search results.
The man complained that although he had served 20 years behind
bars for killing two people, he was still paying for the crime. He
argued his name was linked to the crime every time anyone searched
for him on the internet, robbing him of the right to start a new
life.
The man also said that every time he tried to develop a
relationship or find a job, his crime came up in an internet search
and he was rebuffed. He argued that the internet interfered with
his right to a normal life.
Does the public deserve to learn about a person's past
crimes on the internet?
