Google rejected my RTBF request for personal safety reasons – any experience with the Italian Garante?
Sorry in advance if I ask something obvious, I'm not an expert in privacy law at all and I'm trying to figure out my options.
I live in Italy and I submitted a right to be forgotten request to Google to delist two URLs that show up when anyone searches my full name:
The official page of the hospital unit where I currently work, which shows my name and role
The public ranking list of a job competition I won, which also includes my full name
The reason I want these removed is not vanity or professional reputation. It's personal safety. I've been seriously threatened by someone for about two years. It got bad enough that I had to leave my region and start over somewhere else just to feel safe. The problem is that anyone can Google my name and find exactly where I work now in seconds, which kind of defeats the whole point of moving.
I haven't filed a police report and honestly I don't plan to. I also really don't want to involve my employer — I just want to be a little less easy to find online.
Google rejected my request saying the content is of "substantial public interest related to my professional life." I work in the public sector.
I'm now thinking of filing a complaint with the Italian Garante under Art. 77 GDPR but I have no idea how strong my case actually is.
Has anyone dealt with the Italian Garante on delisting requests? Does a personal safety argument realistically hold up against the public interest exception? Any advice on how to make the complaint stronger?
Thanks a lot