Sidebar: The right to be forgotten

The internet is an amazing tool, but it can also destroy lives and reputations. Europeans have the legal right to be forgotten — search engines, media outlets and others must comply with requests to delete information about people, even whole news stories. But is such an expectation reasonable, and would it fly in the U.S.?

The internet never forgets.

It's an invaluable tool, but also one that provides little forgiveness for some individuals whose past run-ins with law enforcement, financial woes and photos of a night out on the town become publicized.

We are coming to you in this episode with a primer on why the "right to be forgotten” became law in the European Union, and how the concept plays out in courtrooms and newsrooms across the United States as the government and the media try to determine what deeds can and should be erased from the internet at large.

While the EU requires search engines to remove links in search results upon valid request, the U.S. has long sided with people's right to know and speak freely without fear of censorship. But that has not stopped the conversation from entering into our public discourse.

Special guests:

Sidebar tackles the top stories you need to know from the legal world. Join reporters Bianca Bruno, Daniel Jackson, Amanda Pampuro and Nina Pullano as they take you in and out of courtrooms in the U.S. and beyond and break down developments to help you understand how they affect your day-to-day life.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Music by The Dead Pens, KV, Popoi, Punch Deck, Purrple Cat, Kevin MacLeod and Lukrembo. A transcript of this episode is available.

Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross. Big thanks to Molly Quell and Cain Burdeau.

For more from Molly and Cain on the EU's "right to be forgotten":

-- Europe and USA face off on data protection rules

-- EU court says Facebook is subject to worldwide content removal

-- Google wins landmark EU case over ‘right to be forgotten’

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