The data on what actually gets taken down is pretty eye-opening. It's not just random luck. Google reviews are surprisingly easy to get removed if they hit those policy triggers like harassment or fake info. Court records and mugshots also move fast, usually under two weeks. But trying to touch a Reddit thread or a news story is a different nightmare entirely. I saw that Yelp and Trustpilot reviews almost never budge. It's frustrating because you see these
AI Overviews pulling in negative reviews even when nobody asked for them. If the source is stuck, the AI just amplifies it. Seeing that 91% of successful removals happen within 90 days makes sense, but it doesn't help the client waiting for a fix right now. I wonder how much of this depends on the specific
site authority though. Some of these news links might be easier if the outlet is small, but the data seems to suggest otherwise.
full read:
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/negative-search-result-removal-erase-spa/590856/