National Policy Atlas · aep-001802
Online News Association
What an automated search found
From NSMPA, which read this newsroom's website. Nobody has checked it by hand yet, and it isn't our classification; we haven't classified this newsroom yet.
Policy text permits some remedies and rules out others
On NSMPA's hand-compiled list of known policies, noted as “Explicit de-indexing guidance” (listed source).
“If you have something such as a crime database that includes only people convicted of crimes, the item should be removed from the database.”
“Dismissal: If proper and complete documentation is produced that a charge was dismissed, you could amend the original item to add that update, but not remove the record from the site.”
| Remedy | Policy text (automated reading) | Practice (automated reading) |
|---|---|---|
| Removal / unpublishing | Both permitted and ruled out in policy text | None found |
| Search-engine de-indexing | Not addressed | None found |
| Anonymization or redaction | Permitted in policy text | None found |
| Update for later developments | Permitted in policy text | — |
Policy pages
| Page | First seen | Checked by us |
|---|---|---|
| Removing material from your archives - ONA EthicsONA Ethics | Oct 8, 2026 | Not yet |
"First seen" is when a page was first read, by us or by NSMPA. It isn't the date the policy was adopted, and pages not yet checked may describe something other than a policy on old stories.
21 quotes from this newsroom's own pages, found automatically
Not checked by hand yet, so check the source before quoting.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 744
If you have something such as a crime database that includes only people convicted of crimes, the item should be removed from the database.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 745
You also might decide you should not delete stories about valid convictions that are later expunged from the public record for good behavior.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 746
Dismissal: If proper and complete documentation is produced that a charge was dismissed, you could amend the original item to add that update, but not remove the record from the site.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 747
A strong basic policy would be that you don’t remove published content from your digital archives, but that you want archives to be accurate, complete and up-to-date, so you will update or correct archived content, including headlines.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 748
But in an extreme case where the corrected story would still be damaging to the person named, this might justify deleting the story or removing the name.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 749
If you take an absolutist position — that you’ll always remove content when requested or that you’ll never remove published content — your choice is clear and simple.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 751
If the person is named in the headline, you might also update the headline to say that the charge was dismissed.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 752
You might consider whether to add a note saying when the item was updated and what the original headline said.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 754
If the person is named in the headline, you should also update the headline to note the acquittal.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 755
Again, it would be a good idea to add a note that says when the item was updated and what the original headline said.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 756
You might, however, want to consider a middle ground: Seldom remove archived content but consider changes or updates on some occasions.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 757
Here are guidelines for considering alternatives in situations where you might consider — or be asked to consider — removing content from your online archives.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 758
In considering requests to remove accurate information from public archives, you should consider not only the person’s interest in suppressing the content but also the public’s interest in knowing the information.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 759
As special cases present themselves, consider whether there are creative alternatives to actually deleting a story.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 760
Home sales A valid reason to remove a home sales record from your site would be if a security issue could be documented that involves, for example, a law enforcement officer, stalking victim, domestic abuse victim, etc. Removing content from social media sites Some guidelines your organization might consider on changing or deleting social media content: Tweets: Tweets cannot be edited once posted (although Twitter might add that feature in the future).
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 761
If you do more than fix simple typos, you should add a note telling how you’ve updated, corrected or altered the post.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 762
However, the code also calls on journalists to minimize harm, so when people tell you of continuing harm that your reports may cause, you should respectfully listen to their concerns and consider whether a change is justified.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 763
Ethical principles that should be weighed in these decisions include a mix of reporting the truth, minimizing harm, being transparent and being responsive to the community.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 764
For many circumstances, updating a headline (and noting that you’ve done so) will preserve the archived story but present an accurate headline and story to people searching someone on search engines.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 765
Some unusual situations might justify blocking a story from search engine indexing but keeping it online, so it’s still available in site search and links to it continue to work.
- Retrieved Oct 8, 2026 · Read from the live page · NSMPA evidence 2228
Like the GDPR-enshrined “right to erasure” and related privacy initiatives, “Fresh Start” allows people to leave behind singular, life-defining events, while also building community trust and opening a dialogue about reporting conventions and historical harm.
Cite this record
The Archive Ethics Project. Online News Association (aep-001802). National Policy Atlas. https://archiveethics.org/atlas/online-news-association. Accessed Oct 11, 2026.
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