Can I really get something removed from Google search?

In many cases, yes. Google has a specific removal request for results about you while you were under 18, and other removal routes for personal data and certain types of content. Removal does not delete the page on the original site, but it stops it appearing in search results.

Do universities and employers really check social media?

Some do, especially for roles involving young people, public-facing jobs, or sensitive sectors. Most are realistic about a teenage past, but a current pattern that worries them can still matter. Cleaning up what is easy to find is a fair, sensible step.

Someone has set up an account in my name. What can I do?

Report it to the platform using their impersonation form, screenshot it as evidence, and tell a trusted adult. If the account is being used to harass or scam others, also report it to the police on 101 or Action Fraud.

Your online reputation and your future

How posts, comments, and tags can follow you, your right to be forgotten, and what to do if a single moment is defining you online.

Your online reputation is just what comes up when someone searches your name. That can include posts you made, things friends tagged you in, screenshots of group chats, comments you left, and stuff that other people wrote about you. It can matter later for jobs, university applications, apprenticeships, and even relationships. None of that means you have to be perfect online, but it does mean it is worth thinking about your footprint.

In the UK, you have some real rights here. You can ask Google and other search engines to remove specific search results about you when you were a child (using their 'Removal Request' for results about minors). You can ask platforms to delete posts under data protection law. You can also rebuild a reputation over time, which most adults do too, because everyone has things they wish they had not posted.

What this looks like in real life

Real examples

An angry comment you posted at 13 is the first result when someone searches your name.
A friend tagged you in posts that you would not put out yourself, and they show up publicly.
An old account using a username that gives away your name still has content you forgot about.
Someone has set up a fake account in your name and is posting as you.

What you can do

Step 1

Search your own name and main usernames in Google, image search, and on the main platforms. See what is out there.

Step 2

Delete or hide old posts you would not stand by today.

Step 3

Ask friends to untag you in old posts that are showing up publicly.

Step 4

Use Google's removal request for results about you when you were under 18.

Step 5

Report fake accounts pretending to be you. Most platforms have a specific form for impersonation.

Step 6

Build a quieter, more positive layer (LinkedIn-style or portfolio site) as you get older, so search results have something else to pick up.

What not to do

Do not assume deleting from one platform deletes everywhere. Screenshots and reposts may still exist.
Do not panic-delete everything. You may want some posts as evidence later, especially if there is a dispute.
Do not engage in a public back-and-forth about an old post. Calm action removes more than angry replies do.

Who you can talk to

People who can help

A parent, carer, or older relative who can help you with removal forms.
A school careers lead or pastoral lead, especially if it is affecting applications.
Childline on 0800 1111 if old content is being used to bully you now.
Report Harmful Content if a platform refuses to remove something serious about you.
ICO if a company will not respond properly to a data removal request.

If something goes wrong

If a single post or video is defining how people see you, you are not stuck with it forever. Removal requests work more often than people expect, and most search results fade over time when there is no fresh activity. Talk to an adult so you do not have to handle the forms alone. Your future is bigger than any single thing currently on a screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Trusted UK sources

Last reviewed: 2026-05-20Next review: 2026-08-20Reviewed against: UK statutory guidance

This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.