Why Google Still Shows Your Leaked Content After Takedowns

You got the site to remove your content. Victory! But a week later, you Google yourself and it's still showing up. What gives?

Two Different Problems

Here's what most people don't realize: removing content from a website and removing it from Google are two completely separate processes.

When you file a DMCA with a website, you're asking them to delete the actual content from their server. When you file with Google, you're asking Google to remove the link to that content from search results.

These are handled by different companies, with different processes, on different timelines.

Why Google Keeps Showing Removed Content

1. Google's Cache

Google takes "snapshots" of web pages and stores them. Even after the original page is gone, Google's cached version can persist for weeks. When you see "Cached" under a search result, that's what you're looking at.

2. Google's Index Update Cycle

Google doesn't re-crawl every page daily. Popular pages get crawled frequently; obscure pages might go months between crawls. Until Google re-crawls the page and sees the 404 error, it won't automatically remove it.

3. Google Has No Idea You Filed a DMCA

When you send a DMCA to pornhub.com, Google doesn't know about it. The site removes the content, but Google's index still has the old data. Google only acts when you tell Google directly.

How to Remove Content from Google Search

Option 1: Wait (not recommended)

Eventually, Google will re-crawl the page, see it's gone, and remove it from results. This can take weeks to months. Not great when your leaked content is showing up on the first page.

Option 2: Google's DMCA Form (recommended)

File a DMCA directly with Google. This is separate from whatever you filed with the website.

1. Go to: support.google.com/legal/troubleshooter/1114905
2. Select "Google Search"
3. Select the copyright/DMCA option
4. Fill out the form with the specific URLs you want removed
5. Submit and wait (usually 1-4 weeks)

Option 3: Google's Outdated Content Tool

If the content is already removed from the website, you can use Google's "Remove outdated content" tool:

1. Go to: search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
2. Enter the URL that's showing outdated content
3. Google will check if the content is actually gone
4. If confirmed gone, they'll remove it from search faster

Catch: This only works if the page is completely gone or the specific content has been removed. If the page still exists with your content, use the DMCA form instead.

Don't Forget Bing

Google isn't the only search engine. Bing powers Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and other searches. File with them too:

bing.com/webmaster/tools/contentremoval

The Correct Order of Operations

1. Document — Screenshot everything first
2. Remove from source — DMCA the website hosting the content
3. Confirm removal — Check that the content is actually gone
4. Remove from Google — File with Google's DMCA or outdated content tool
5. Remove from Bing — Same process, different form
6. Monitor — Check back in a few weeks to confirm

What If the Site Won't Remove It?

If the website ignores your DMCA, you can still file with Google. Google will remove it from search results even if the actual site keeps the content. The content still exists, but it becomes much harder to find.

This is often called "de-indexing" and it's a powerful tool. If someone has to know the exact URL to find your content (instead of just Googling your name), the damage is significantly reduced.

Timeline Expectations

The Bottom Line

Getting content removed is a two-step process: remove from the source, then remove from search engines. Skip the second step and people can still find you by Googling. Most creators don't know this, which is why they're frustrated when their name still brings up leaked content weeks after they thought they handled it.

For a comprehensive guide specifically on Google removal, check out RemoveFromGoogle.com — a dedicated resource for getting content out of Google search results.