Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertes (CNIL), France's data protection authority, imposed a fine of 100,000 Euros on Google for not removing links to articles across all Google websites for successful right to be forgotten requests.  As a compromise position, Google said it would apply removals to all Google sites if the user of Google was located in an EU country.  CNIL, however, rejected Google's approach on the ground that a person's right to privacy cannot depend on the "geographic origin of those viewing the search results.  Only delisting on all of the search engine's extensions, regardless of the extension used or the geographic origin of the person performing the search, can effectively uphold this right."

Google disagreed with CNIL's decision and plans on appealing it to French courts.  Al Verney, Google's spokesman, said, "As a matter of principle, we disagree with the CNIL’s assertion that it has the authority to control the content that people can access outside France, and we plan to appeal their ruling."

Reuters is reporting that Google is apparently acquiescing to the demands of the French data protection authorities for Google to remove links on meritiorious right to be forgotten requests on all of Google's sites, including Google.com if accessed by a person in the EU.  Reuters says: "To address the concerns of European authorities, the Internet giant will soon start polishing search results across all its websites when someone conducts a search from the country where the removal request originated, a person close to the company said." 

If this report is accurate, it marks a dramatic change in position by Google that is more protective of the right to be forgotten.   It is not clear if Google will also be foregoing an appeal of the French authorities' decision.  

Peter Fleischer, Google's Global Privacy Counselor, wrote on the Google Policy Blog its reason for refusing to comply with France's data protection authority's (CNIL order to extend the removal of links for successful right to be forgotten requests to all of Google, and not just the European sites.