Can you remove information from Chat GPT
Right to be forgotten and the Internet Archive
Some fifteen years ago, a young model in her early twenties discovered that intimate photographs of her had been uploaded to a pornographic website by her ex-boyfriend. After legal intervention, he agreed to remove the images. The website later disappeared and, for years, the issue seemed resolved. Today, she is in her thirties, a businesswoman and a mother of three. Then, without warning, three of those same photographs resurfaced online. Her former partner denied reposting them. The original website no longer appeared in Google or Bing search results. Yet the images were back. The source turned out not to be a new act of revenge, but an old digital copy preserved by an internet archive.
What is the WayBack Machine and how does it store deleted websites?
The Wayback Machine, operated by the Internet Archive, is one of the largest digital archiving projects in the world. Its purpose is to preserve the history of the internet by capturing and storing snapshots of websites over time. When its systems crawl the web, they save versions of web pages as they appear on particular dates. These archived pages can include text, images, PDFs and sometimes video content. Even if the original website later deletes the material, the archived copy may still exist. Many people searching for answers type phrases such as what is the Wayback Machine, can the Internet Archive store deleted images, or why is deleted content still online. The reason is simple. Deletion from a live website does not necessarily mean deletion from the internet as a whole. In our client’s case, the original website had been archived years earlier. Although the site itself was taken down, someone accessed the archived version, downloaded the images and reposted them elsewhere.
Why Google removal does not mean the content is completely deleted
A common misunderstanding relates to search engine removal. When Google or Bing remove a URL from search results, this is known as de-indexing. It prevents the link from appearing when someone searches for your name or related keywords. However, the underlying webpage may still exist on the hosting server or within an internet archive. This distinction is legally important. Removing search results is not the same as deleting the source content. Under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, individuals have rights over their personal data. This includes the right to erasure in certain circumstances. Where intimate images were shared without consent, or where defamatory or inaccurate information is processed unlawfully, there may be grounds to demand full removal from the original host and from internet archives. If you are searching for how to remove content from the Wayback Machine UK or right to be forgotten archived website, it is essential to understand that a targeted legal approach is often required.
How to remove content from the internet archive in the UK
Internet archives are not beyond the reach of UK law. They process and store personal data. Where archived pages contain private information, intimate images, defamatory statements or outdated personal data, legal arguments can be made for removal. The process typically involves identifying the archived URLs, establishing that the material constitutes personal data, and demonstrating why continued processing is unlawful or disproportionate. This may rely on privacy rights, misuse of private information, harassment law or data protection principles such as accuracy and fairness. Each case turns on its facts. However, it is entirely possible to secure removal of archived web pages in appropriate circumstances. We regularly assist clients who discover that historic content, including revenge porn images, old allegations or defamatory blog posts, remains accessible through the Wayback Machine or similar services.
AI search engines and large language models as the new internet archive
There is now a new and rapidly evolving risk. Artificial intelligence platforms, including large language models such as ChatGPT and other AI search engines, have been trained on vast quantities of publicly available internet data. In effect, they have absorbed and processed information from millions of websites, forums and databases. This means that AI systems can sometimes reproduce or summarise information that has since been deleted from the live web. People are increasingly searching terms such as AI repeating deleted information, ChatGPT showing old allegations, remove personal data from AI platforms UK, and AI defamation lawyer UK. These searches reflect a genuine and growing problem. AI systems are not always up to date. Even if Google and Bing have removed certain URLs, and even if the original website has deleted the material, an AI agent may still generate responses influenced by historic data. In some cases, the output may repeat outdated, misleading or harmful information. In this sense, AI has become a new form of internet archive, but one that can actively regenerate and republish information in response to user prompts.
Holding AI platforms accountable under UK law
There are a number of ongoing legal actions in the United States concerning AI companies and their use of scraped data. These cases involve issues such as copyright, privacy and data use. In the United Kingdom, the legal framework centres largely around data protection and privacy law. If an AI platform processes personal data relating to an identifiable individual, it may be subject to UK GDPR obligations. These include duties relating to accuracy, fairness, transparency and, in certain cases, erasure. If an AI system generates inaccurate or defamatory content about a person, further legal principles may arise, including defamation law and misuse of private information. It is important to pause here and explain what “processing” means in data protection law. Processing includes collecting, storing, organising, analysing or making data available. If an AI platform has collected and uses personal data in a way that affects an individual, it may fall within this definition. In appropriate cases, we are able to engage with AI platforms to seek removal, correction or suppression of harmful outputs. AI companies are not immune from legal accountability in the UK.
Why historic online harm can resurface years later
The most distressing aspect for many clients is that the past appears to return without warning. A person may resolve a dispute, secure removal of intimate images, or successfully defend a defamatory allegation. Years later, archived copies or AI-generated summaries can bring everything back into public view. The law recognises that individuals have a right to privacy and a right to protection of their personal data. The concept of the right to be forgotten exists precisely because perpetual digital memory can cause disproportionate harm. However, enforcement requires a strategic and comprehensive approach. It is rarely enough to remove one link. Archived pages, cached copies and AI-generated outputs must all be considered.
AI search engines and large language models as the new internet archive
Artificial intelligence platforms, including large language models such as ChatGPT and other AI search engines, are trained on vast amounts of publicly available data. During training, these systems analyse patterns in text gathered from websites, forums, news articles and other online sources. They do not think or remember in the human sense, but they learn from the data they are exposed to. Because of this, AI systems can sometimes generate responses that reflect information which was historically available online, even if that information has since been removed from a website or de-indexed by a search engine. The important point is this: AI-related issues can be addressed. If an AI platform generates inaccurate, outdated, defamatory or private information about you, there are legal and practical routes available in the UK to challenge and correct it. Where personal data is involved, UK GDPR obligations may apply.
This includes duties relating to accuracy and fairness. If information is wrong, misleading or unlawfully processed, steps can be taken to seek correction, suppression or removal. AI models capture and process data at scale, but they are operated by companies that must comply with applicable laws. They are not beyond accountability. We engage directly with AI providers where necessary, set out the legal position clearly, and require appropriate action to protect our clients’ rights. If the issue you are facing is specific to an AI platform such as ChatGPT or another AI search engine, it is crucial that you tell us from the outset. AI-related reputation issues require a tailored strategy that differs from traditional website or search engine removal. We understand how these systems are trained, how outputs are generated, and how to frame legal arguments effectively in this rapidly developing area. The growth of AI does not mean that harmful information is permanent. With the right legal approach, AI-generated content can be challenged and resolved.
