by Net Reputation
This article will teach you how to get a mugshot removed from Google, provide tips for contacting website owners, and discuss monitoring your online presence post-removal.
Have you ever been arrested? Chances are, your mugshot image and arrest details are still searchable on the web. This may have you wondering how to remove your mugshots and clean up your online reputation.
Commonly, businesses or people looking to profit from sharing and selling personal records or criminal records are those who own mugshot sites. As a result, mugshot websites have become very popular.
Capturing online mugshots of well-known individuals who have an embarrassing arrest record drives traffic to gossip sites. We see the news media do this every day. Reporters cover stories about a celebrity getting a DUI or an athlete being arrested for domestic violence. From there, online arrest records, mugshots and criminal records further publicize the missteps of A-listers.
But while it can be amusing when a powerful person you don’t know ruins their reputation, it’s quite different when it happens to you or someone you care about.
In this article, we’ll walk you through what to do when you find your mugshot online. While online mugshot removal isn’t always a fast process, it is possible to clean up your online presence over time.
Additionally, you can always contact our content removal experts at NetReputation. We’ll discuss our removal services with you and go over our beginning-to-end process so you know exactly what to expect. Get in touch with us today by calling 844-461-3632 or filling out the contact form below.
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What You Should Know About Removing Online Mug Shots
Before you can effectively remove mugshots from Google, it’s important to understand how search results work.
Most people Google themselves from time to time. And when they do, over half say that the search results are not positive. If you’re among them and want to know how to get your mugshots off Google, Bing, Yahoo or mugshot websites, there are a couple of key things to understand about having your mugshot taken down.
Top Search Results Aren’t Random
Google search results aren’t random. Instead, site rankings are influenced by several factors, including page traffic, authority, and trust. This can be very unsettling for anyone with even a minor web presence, let alone those with mugshot photos or criminal charges online. Whenever someone enters a search term into Google, Google Search combs the web for references to a name or other keyword. This allows it to locate results that best answer each user’s question.
You Can’t Request Removal Without a Good Reason
Many mugshot sites may remove online mugshots only after you provide proof that the information should not be public. For example, a court order showing that your record has been sealed or expunged is proof that it should no longer be accessible to the public. Plus, while there are third-party removal service providers, many of these companies do not always deliver on their promise to get your search results cleaned up, usually because their methods don’t work.
Short of hiring an attorney or seeking legal advice from an experienced lawyer, you may struggle to discover the best ways to get your mugshot taken down from websites that post it. Thankfully, if you want to remove a mugshot online, the process is pretty direct when you hire an ORM company. Contact us today at 844-461-3632 to speak with a content removal expert.
How To Request Removal of Your Mugshots Online
Removing mugshots from the internet can feel overwhelming, especially when your information appears on several sites and ranks highly in search results. And the process isn’t always as simple as submitting a single request and waiting for the website owner to comply. Each site operates differently, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the outcome you want.
The following guide walks you through finding where your mugshot is published online, getting organized, contacting the appropriate parties, and presenting a strong case for removal. By approaching this strategically, you’ll improve your chances of having unwanted content permanently removed.
Step 1: Identify the Websites To Contact
First, start by finding the sites that have your information and are publishing online mugshots. In many cases, booking photos and online arrest records are matters of public record and may appear on official government websites in addition to other sites that post unflattering images of those who have been arrested for a criminal act.
Finding your mugshot online is a fairly straightforward task. Head over to Google and enter the following queries:
- [Your name] arrest
- [Your name] mugshot
- [Your name] [your location] arrest
- [Your name] arrest
You may also consider typing variations of your name into the Google search box. For example, if your name is John H. Smith, you may try variations like:
- Spelling out your middle name
- J.H. Smith
- J. Smith
This can help you locate all the places online where your mugshot appears.
If you are struggling to find a mugshot, that’s a good sign. Still, continue to play around with search queries to make sure your information isn’t available anywhere. Key identifiers will help Google find your arrest records or other public records. Those include:
- Arresting location
- Initials
- Middle name
- Nicknames
If you need help with this process, contact one of your advisors by calling 844-461-3632 today.
Step 2: Keep Track of What You Find
As you find your mugshots online, record the links in a spreadsheet. Avoid repeatedly searching for the same web page on Google, which will actually make your personal info appear more prominently in search results. As a general rule, Google — and nearly every other search engine — learns what to rank based on how many times you search for a certain item. This can often boost the ranking of that item and make it more visible. Making a spreadsheet allows you to avoid giving mugshot sites any extra visibility, especially when it comes to your personal information.
Step 3: Gather the Websites’ Contact Information
Next, find any contact info for the sites posting your mugshot. You can locate this info on each site or by utilizing a Google extension like Hunter.io. Some mugshot publication sites try to hide their contact information, making it difficult for visitors to figure out how to contact the site. The Hunter.io Google extension saves you time and frustration as you hunt for ways to make contact with publication sites.
Step 4: Draft a Request for Mugshot Removal
If you’re able to get the website owner’s contact information, reach out to them to inquire about mugshot removal, and remain polite. They have no obligation to remove mugshots, so asking nicely and explaining why you want your information removed is your best bet. Also, if you have legal documents, like an expungement order, send them along with your initial message. Most sites will remove mugshot information if you provide a valid expungement document.
Presenting Your Case
When you’re trying to remove mugshots from Google, the best way forward is to show court records that prove your charges were dropped. Many sites will not voluntarily remove mugshots unless there is a compelling legal obligation, such as:
- A demand letter stating that the court deemed the arrest record or case records sealed
- Court records showing expungement or dropped charges
- A written notice from an attorney to remove mugshots and personal information from the website
Legal reasons for mugshot removal may vary from state to state. For example, in Florida, individuals arrested for a crime can remove a mugshot by filing a written request via registered mail. Not every state has a similar law for mugshot removal, though. It’s critical to check your state law or consult an attorney for details on removing your mugshot online.
Legal and Ethical Considerations of Mugshot Removal
When the straightforward tactic of contacting the website owner to ask that they remove your information doesn’t work, you’ll need to move on to more time-consuming mugshot removal options. The following legal and ethical considerations could help strengthen your case for mugshot removal.
Privacy Laws and Rights That Impact Mugshot Removal
Generally speaking, individuals have a right to privacy. When personal information is disseminated without authorization, it may infringe upon those privacy rights.
It’s important to understand privacy law if you’re going to use this argument for mugshot removal, which is why it’s best to hire an attorney. If basic solutions like asking for your mugshot to be removed don’t work, having an attorney advocate for you may be a necessary step.
Accuracy, Fairness and Mugshot Removal
It’s important that websites post correct information online, and if your mugshot has inaccurate information, this may put you in a good position to request that it be taken down. Outdated or incorrect information that’s published online gives you both an ethical and legal basis for requesting mugshot removal.
This pertains to criminal records or arrest records that have been expunged, as continuing to post the information online as though it’s still in effect is providing outdated information.
Mugshot Removal and the Right To Be Forgotten
While this isn’t a law that’s recognized in the U.S., if you’re dealing with international websites, particularly those based in Europe, you may be able to invoke a “right to be forgotten” defense for mugshot removal. This right means that, depending on the circumstances, you may be able to make search engines erase mugshots and remove links about you that discuss your past.
Google Policies for Removing Mugshots
Since you’ll be mainly dealing with Google when it comes to unwanted information online, it’s smart to familiarize yourself with the search engine’s policies for removing content, including mugshot removal. Unfortunately, this is the tricky element of removing mugshots. If you are looking to remove mugshots from Google search results, you’ll first need to delete them from the site where it was initially posted.
It’s important to understand that Google won’t take down personal information or agree to mugshot removal simply because you ask. For example, Google won’t remove information it finds valuable to the public, like that on many business, education, government and news websites.
We have an article about Easy Steps To Remove Personal Information From Google that goes into this topic more.
Online Reputation Monitoring and Mugshot Removal Follow-Up
Getting your personal information taken down once isn’t enough to ensure your online presence stays positive moving forward. Mugshot removal maintenance includes:
- Regularly checking search results for new mentions or updates to existing content
- Addressing any mugshots or personal information that appear online
- Being patient and persistent, as this process can take a long time
Dealing with your mugshot image online is a critical aspect of digital reputation management. These days, everybody turns to online search tools to find answers. Despite what you think you look like online, the real test is how you appear on major search platforms.
Your online footprint is part of your online reputation — and your offline reputation. What the web says about you affects not only your online image but also your entire life and personal relationships. What happens if others locate negative information about you after doing a web search? A damaged reputation can prevent you from getting a job or expanding your business opportunities. It can even create legal ramifications that are difficult to fix.
For that reason, it’s essential to know how you’re appearing online even after you’ve had mugshots removed from search engine results. It’s also important to ensure that prominent pages about you remain free of negative data. This also goes for the image results in search engines.
Wrapping Up
Whether or not you were found guilty of a crime, having arrest records or your mugshot online can interfere with your ability to rent a house, capitalize on new business options or move forward in your personal relationships.
To combat this, many websites claim to help individuals remove mugshots from the web. Unfortunately, most of these mugshot removal websites charge high prices to employ the very same tactics you can do on your own. As such, many mugshot removal websites fail to deliver on their promises, further draining your wallet.
Yes, an attorney can help you navigate the law associated with removing unflattering online search results. However, it pays to hire a company that understands the details of reputation management, too. Even if you have had your case sealed, your criminal case dropped, or your record expunged, mugshot removal from many websites is all but impossible without the appropriate expertise.
Our online reputation management services will help you with everything you need to remove mugshots from the internet. After completing the contact form below, one of our knowledgeable mugshot specialists will connect with you as quickly as possible. You can also call us at 844-461-3632 today.