Thousands of news articles are disappearing from Google Search after questionable copyright claims. Publishers report delays, lack of notification, and growing abuse of the DMCA process to suppress journalism.
News publishers and investigative journalists are facing a surge in copyright takedown requests that are removing legitimate reporting from Google Search, raising urgent concerns for anyone relying on search visibility, traffic, or editorial independence.
Last month, a Press Gazette article critical of casino SEO company Clickout Media was scrubbed from Google results after a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) request falsely alleged the story was copied from an unrelated Reddit post. The request was filed by DRF Corporation or an anonymous party acting on its behalf. This marked the second time a DMCA notice had been used to erase a critical report about Clickout Media from Google’s archive.
Although both articles were eventually restored, the process took days and Press Gazette received no direct notification from Google. Instead, SEO professionals monitoring the situation alerted the publisher. DRF Corporation has filed over 10,000 such requests, each potentially removing a web page from search results.
Industry insiders say DMCA copyright strikes are now a common tactic for rogue organizations, corporations, and even repressive regimes to manipulate Google Search and silence critical reporting. US-based tech platforms are complying with these requests globally, often without verifying the identity or legitimacy of the claimant. Anyone can file a takedown request without proof of ownership, and Google frequently removes content immediately upon complaint.
SEO professionals report that bad actors routinely target disliked articles with multiple DMCA requests, sometimes taking down the same URL repeatedly without the publisher’s knowledge. In 2023, Byline Times, a UK investigative site, was hit by multiple bogus DMCA requests related to its reporting on Russia. In those cases, authors copied Byline Times articles, published them as backdated posts elsewhere, and then falsely claimed copyright infringement.
Repressive governments in Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Tanzania have also used false DMCA takedowns to suppress activists and journalists, according to Access Now. In Nicaragua, media outlets received copyright claims for publishing speeches by President Daniel Ortega, aiming to silence criticism. The affected videos were later restored.
Courtney Radsch, Director of the Center for Media and Digital Governance at the Open Markets Institute, cited research indicating that a third of journalists in the global south or working in exile have been targeted with bogus DMCA requests. Radsch noted reports of US police playing copyrighted music during arrests to trigger DMCA removals of filmed encounters. She also described how PR firms and law firms file DMCA requests on behalf of clients to remove negative coverage or suppress rivals, often without providing evidence or even a real name.
Radsch argued that Google indexes all DMCA requests, but other platforms like Meta do not, making transparency inconsistent. She called for indexing all requests and enforcing penalties for false claims, noting that it is a felony to file a fraudulent DMCA notice, yet enforcement is rare. She also suggested limiting the number of claims that can be filed at once to curb mass takedown campaigns.
Critics of Clickout Media have reported being targeted with LinkedIn account bans and hacking attempts after speaking out. One SEO executive, who requested anonymity, said that DMCA strikes are a common negative SEO tactic in the gambling industry, with thousands occurring daily. The executive described the process as burdensome for the attacked party, with little recourse and no cost to the attacker. After reposting a Press Gazette report about Clickout Media on LinkedIn, the executive’s account was removed and later targeted by hackers, despite multiple security measures.
The DMCA, enacted in 1998, was designed to protect internet companies from liability for user-uploaded content by requiring prompt removal of infringing material upon notification. However, platforms like Google are not required to verify the validity of claims or the identity of the filer. When a takedown is challenged, platforms must wait 10 to 14 business days for the claimant to file a federal lawsuit, making appeals slow and cumbersome.
Freelance platforms such as Fiverr now host dozens of profiles offering DMCA takedown services for as little as 20 Euros per request, advertising mass reporting and fast removal of links. Pedro Dias, a former Google Search quality specialist, said that automation has made it easier to file thousands of complaints at once, and Google does little to verify the authenticity of requests. He noted that attackers often target the same URL repeatedly, and publishers may not receive notifications for every takedown.
Dominic Young, CEO of Axate and co-founder of the SPUR coalition on AI licensing standards, said the lack of consequences for false DMCA requests enables censorship with no accountability. He argued that the current system forces content owners to police the entire internet for stolen content, with little chance of compensation or recourse.
Google declined to comment for this story but previously stated that its goal is to balance efficient reporting of infringing content with open access to information and fraud prevention. The company said most DMCA removals come from reporters with a proven track record of valid takedowns and recommends site owners use Search Console to expedite appeals against false strikes.
For more on how publishers are responding to Google’s content policies and search changes, see this report on publishers considering blocking Google’s crawler over AI training disputes.
