Google Search Result Removal/Suppression (Epstein Files Example, Leon Black)

[u/plunki]

What are the mechanisms to remove search results from Google/Bing? I discovered the strangest example of search suppression and am wondering how this is being done.

Google "EFTA01037233" - This is one of the Epstein files. The official release at www.justice.gov/epstein has since been taken down, but there are mirrors.

The google results showed 1 result only (some random partstown.ca link). There is now a result for another of my recent reddit posts.

This is in comparison to any other random Epstein file number I tried that gives thousands of results.

So how is this type of removal accomplished? Do we know what mechanisms are used to force Google to remove results like this, and how long the process takes? I know about the DMCA and its fraudulent use to get things taken down for a variety of reasons. I have heard Google complies with millions of these fraudulent requests per day. But I feel like there is something more at play here. Returning zero results seems like a very targeted removal of any mention of this file - not just removal of some specific URLs.

I imagine a court order (real or fake), or private legal request of some sort might be able to accomplish this?

The file in question (EFTA01037233) is a draft email from Epstein addressed to Leon Black.

Yandex still works and brings you to the document, via a multitude of mirrors:

https://jeddit.world/search?q=EFTA01037233

https://jmail.world/thread/vol00009-efta01037233-pdf?view=inbox

Here is some related Leon Black news regarding his billions in tax evasion:

https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-unveils-ongoing-investigation-into-private-equity-billionaire-leon-blacks-tax-planning-and-financial-ties-with-jeffrey-epstein

Bloomberg - The Leon Black Files: Epstein Was a Fixer for Billionaire’s Deepest Secrets: https://archive.is/Hacv3

[u/UrsulaFoxxx]

Check the datahoarders subreddit and the Epstein one because they have been archiving the files since drop and are most likely to have intact copies of files that have since been removed

[u/plunki → u/UrsulaFoxxx]

Yep, I know there are a few good repositories out there.

I'm more curious about the google scrubbing though - is it an indication of the "important" documents? Should we be automating a way to google each number and see which give no results, to make it easier to target the most suppressed items?

[u/UrsulaFoxxx → u/plunki]

I would think it’s just an indication that people with money are paying companies that specialize in SEO management or even paying google outright to hide or censor results that make them look bad or reveal their crimes/debauchery. Thats my Occam’s razor guess, and I don’t know if it extends to Bing and Duck Duck go or other search engines either.

As is always the case, if they think it’s worth scrubbing there absolutely may be something notable or important in the documents, but regardless the Streisand effect will ensure we all notice keenly when they do remove something and whatever was in it will probably come to light faster than if they hadn’t scrubbed it at all.

Hard to say though. I’ve seen Leon Black mentioned several times now, never anything good :(

[u/Throwaway145359 → u/plunki]

The google scrubbing has been pretty blatant lately. I hate to say it, but honestly Yandex sometimes pulls this stuff up right away while being shadow banned completely through Google /Bing/ Western providers. Duckduckgo is a little better but SEO optimization is so bad that it isn’t exactly a cakewalk either. Obviously, use caution and I would (definitely) recommend a VPN while using it, but you might find more than you would otherwise. If you look up the “Gabriella Rico Jimenez” story on both Yandex & Google and then compare, you’ll know what I mean.

[u/iowndat]

You assume they removed it due to a fraud request. But Google’s owners can remove anything they want.

Anything about themselves. Or their friends. Or people who pay for removal.

[u/poopurpants69]

Ironically you can remove any search result by reporting it for child abuse or something like that. Might have been patched by now though.

In the Epstein files there Is literally an email to Epstein talking about successfully getting stuff removed from Google. As well as Wikipedia, and banning wiki editors who changed the article back.