Frequently asked questions

About the campaign

What is Right to Remove?

Right to Remove is an independent, volunteer run advocacy campaign. We want California to offer an affordable, fair court process for people harmed by false and malicious online posts. We work through the Legislature, in the open, within the limits of the First Amendment and federal law. You can read more on the about page.

Who do you help?

We advocate for people targeted by false posts, attack websites, anonymous harassment and doxxing. We do not take individual cases or represent anyone. What we can do is explain the law in our guides, collect stories that show lawmakers what this harm looks like, and push for better laws.

Are you a law firm? Can you give me legal advice?

No. We are not a law firm and we cannot give legal advice or take your case. Our guides are general information only. For advice about your own situation, please speak with a licensed California attorney.

Do you want to censor criticism or negative reviews?

No. Opinion, criticism, negative reviews, journalism and truthful reporting are protected, and our proposals do not touch them. We believe nothing should come down because someone objects to it. Every remedy we support follows a decision by a judge, after both sides are heard. See our standards.

Online defamation

What is defamation?

In general terms, defamation is a false statement of fact about a person that is published to others and causes harm. The key word is fact. Our guide to California defamation law explains the basics. This is general information, not advice about your case.

What is the difference between a false fact and an opinion?

A statement of fact can be proven true or false, such as claiming someone committed a specific act. An opinion, such as saying a business was rude or a service was bad, generally cannot be proven false and is protected speech. Courts look at the full context, so the line is not always simple. Truth is a defense to defamation.

Is there a deadline to act?

Yes, defamation claims have a time limit. Read our guide on the defamation statute of limitations in California, and speak with an attorney soon if you think a deadline may apply to you.

Removing content today

What can I do about a false post right now?

Our overview, what to do when someone is spreading lies about you online, is a good place to start. In general, the routes that exist today are reports to the platform where the content appears, requests to Google to remove certain results, and court orders. Which of these fits depends on the content and the facts.

How do I ask Google to remove a result?

Google has removal request routes for some kinds of content, and it does not remove everything. We walk through them in our guide to removing defamatory content from Google. Doxxing and personal information are covered in our doxxing guide.

What if the post is on an attack website?

Some sites exist mainly to host accusations about private people. Our guide on an attack website about you explains your options. Be careful with sites that offer to take content down for a fee. See pay to remove websites before paying anyone.

Can a court order the post removed?

A court can order the person who wrote a post to take it down after a finding that it is defamatory. Winning a case does not always make the post disappear, because other sites and search engines may not be bound by the order. Read why winning a defamation case does not remove the post.

What is Section 230, and why does it limit removal?

Section 230 is a federal law that generally says a website or search engine is not treated as the publisher of what its users post. A state law cannot override it. This is why our proposals aim at the author and do not require any platform to remove anything. Our guide to Section 230 has the details.

Can I find out who is posting about me anonymously?

Sometimes, through a court process that balances your claim against the poster's right to speak anonymously. It is not quick or automatic. See our guide on how to unmask an anonymous poster in California.

What if I am being harassed, not only lied about?

Harassment can have its own remedies. Our guide to civil harassment restraining orders in California explains one of them. If you are in danger, contact local law enforcement.

What is an anti SLAPP motion, and why does it matter?

California's anti SLAPP law lets a person who is sued over speech on a public issue ask the court to dismiss the case early. A winning defendant must be awarded attorney fees. This protects free speech, and it also means anyone thinking about a lawsuit should understand the risk first. Read our anti SLAPP guide.

The petition

What does signing the petition do?

It shows California legislators how many of their own constituents support reform. Your ZIP code tells us which legislators represent you. This is an advocacy petition to the California Legislature. It is not a ballot initiative petition and does not place a measure on the ballot.

Why do I get a confirmation email?

We confirm every signature by email so each name counts. Signature counts shown on this site include only confirmed signatures. Unconfirmed signatures are deleted after 30 days.

What is shared when I sign?

Your email address and street address are never published or sold, and we never give legislators your email. If you check the box agreeing to it, we may share your first and last name and ZIP code with the state legislators who represent you. Details are in our privacy policy. You can sign the petition here.

Privacy

How are stories handled?

Stories are encrypted in your browser before they are sent, and only the campaign's offline key can read them. Every story is read by a person, and nothing is published without the permission its author chose. Before publication we remove details that could identify the author, unless the author asked to be named. An author can ask us to remove a published story at any time. See our standards and the privacy policy.

Do you sell my information or track me?

We never sell or rent your information, and we do not use it for advertising. This site sets no cookies and runs no advertising or tracking scripts. You can ask us to see, correct or delete your information at any time by writing to hello@righttoremove.com.

Money

Can I donate?

No. We are not accepting donations. If that changes, we will publish who receives funds and how they are used before we ask for anything.

Is Right to Remove a nonprofit? Are contributions tax deductible?

No. Right to Remove is not a registered nonprofit and has no tax exempt status. Any contribution would not be tax deductible. We do not sell reputation services, and we never accept payment to remove or promote content.

Legislation

Is there a bill in the Legislature?

Not yet. As of October 31, 2026, no bill carrying any of our proposals has been introduced, and no legislator has agreed to author one. We list no endorsements. All five proposals are drafts, and we update our legislative tracker only from records we have checked. Each proposal is explained, with current law and open questions, on the proposals page.

Taking part

How can I help?

You can sign the petition, share your story if you have been targeted, and ask two friends to sign. If you want to do more, see the volunteer page. If you need help with a situation of your own, start with our help section.

How do I contact you, or report a mistake?

Journalists, legislative staff and everyone else can reach us through press and contact. If we got something wrong, tell us. We will fix it and note the correction on the page.