TL;DR: Delisting asks a search engine to stop showing specific pirate pages in its results. It does not remove the page from the internet, so it works best alongside takedowns at the host. See search delisting.
When someone looks for a film, a match or a game, the first thing they usually do is search for it. A large share of people who end up on a pirate site arrive that way, by typing the title plus a word like “free” or “stream”. If those pages show up near the top, the pirate site gets a steady supply of visitors, whatever happens at the host.
Search delisting targets that path. This article explains what it is, how the notices work, what gets delisted, how it fits with removal at the host, and what a rights holder can reasonably expect.
What delisting is
Delisting means asking a search engine to remove a specific web address from its results for searches that would otherwise show it. The page itself is untouched. It may still be online, and anyone who has the address can still visit it. What changes is that the search engine no longer points people to it.
Each search engine has its own process for copyright complaints, and the exact requirements, forms and review steps differ between them. The common core is the same: you identify the protected work, you list the web addresses that infringe it, and you make a formal statement that you are authorised to act.
How a notice to a search engine works
- Identify the work. The notice names the protected content and the rights holder or the party acting for them.
- List the addresses. Each infringing page is listed by its exact web address. Broad statements such as “this whole site” are generally not enough on their own.
- Add the supporting details. This includes contact details and the legal statements the search engine's form requires.
- Submit and track. The search engine reviews the request and may remove the pages, ask for more information, or decline items it does not consider valid.
Because each page needs its own entry, volume is the main practical challenge. A single popular title can have a large number of pages across many domains, and new ones appear constantly. Keeping the lists accurate and up to date is a large part of the work.
What gets delisted
The pages that make sense to delist are the ones that lead people to infringing content.
- Pages on pirate sites that stream or offer downloads of a protected work
- Landing pages and listings for a specific title on indexes and link sites
- Pages on cyberlocker or file-sharing services that host the copy
- Mirror and proxy pages that copy another pirate site
Pages that do not infringe are not appropriate targets. News articles, reviews, official stores and legitimate licensed services should stay out of a notice. Checking each address before it is submitted is part of doing this properly, and it protects against errors that waste time or cause disputes.
Delisting and takedowns work together
Delisting and host takedowns do different jobs. A takedown goes to the party that hosts or serves the content and aims to remove the content itself. Delisting goes to the search engine and aims to stop people being sent there.
| Takedown at the host | Search delisting | |
|---|---|---|
| Sent to | Hosting provider, CDN, platform | Search engine |
| Effect | Content removed or disabled | Page no longer shown in results |
| Page still exists | No, if it succeeds | Yes, but harder to find |
| Best used | To remove the source | To reduce discovery while it is removed |
Used together, each covers the gap in the other. If the host is slow to act, delisting still reduces how many people reach the page. If a page is delisted but remains online, a takedown deals with the source. Learn how the host side works in our overview of takedown automation.
What to expect
Results are not instant and not uniform. Search engines process requests in their own time, and some items will be accepted while others are queried or declined. New pages for the same title can appear after earlier ones are removed, so delisting is an ongoing activity rather than a one-time clean-up.
It is also worth being realistic about the limits. Delisting reduces how easily pirate pages can be found through search. It does not stop people who already know an address, who find it through social links, or who use messaging apps. That is why it is one part of a wider approach, alongside monitoring and host-side removal.
How results are reported
A report should let you see what was submitted and what happened to it, without having to trust a single headline figure. Useful reporting includes:
- The addresses submitted, grouped by title or campaign
- The status of each: removed, pending, declined or reappeared
- The dates of submission and of any outcome
- Notes on repeat domains or patterns that call for a different approach
Where a request is declined, the reason is recorded so the next notice can be improved or the item sent to another route. Reports should be plain about what is still open as well as what is closed.
Common mistakes to avoid
Teams that are new to delisting tend to run into the same few problems. Knowing them saves time and avoids rejected notices.
- Submitting a domain instead of pages. Search engines generally act on specific addresses, so each page needs to be listed.
- Including legitimate pages. Reviews, news coverage and licensed services should be left out of the notice.
- Sending once and stopping. New pages for the same title appear over time, so notices need to be repeated as they do.
- Skipping the evidence. A record of what the page showed, and when, makes any follow-up conversation simpler.
Why consistency matters
A search engine looks at each request on its own, but patterns matter. Accurate notices, sent in an organised way, are easier to process than a scattered mix of corrections and repeats. Consistent formatting, clear identification of the work and tidy lists all help the review go smoothly.
Consistency also helps you over the longer term. When the same notices are sent in the same way, you can compare results from one title to the next and see which approach works best for your catalogue.
Where to start
If you are new to delisting, start with the titles or events that matter most to you and look at what currently shows up when people search for them. From there, a monitoring process can build the address lists, verify them, and keep submitting as new pages appear. You can read more on our search delisting page, or contact the team to talk through your own catalogue.