Ready to forget: American attitudes toward the right to be forgotten

This study uses an experimental design to examine whether and under what circumstances Americans support the so-called “right to be forgotten”—a legal right that allows citizens to petition to have information about them taken down from the Internet. Findings indicate people are most concerned about who will be in charge of executing such a right. Framing effects are also found for opinions regarding age of information and whether the law should apply only to minors. The results offer insights to help scholars, national policymakers, and international relations organizations to understand public attitudes in a dynamic sociotechnical policy landscape.