Superior Court of Justice rules court orders must specify URLs for content removal

In a March 2025 decision, the Fourth Panel of Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) addressed whether a search engine provider could be compelled to remove web pages referencing the claimant’s name without a court order explicitly listing the URLs to be taken down.

According to the vote of Justice João Otávio de Noronha (Special Appeal 1.969.219), removal measures are only enforceable if the search engine provider receives a judicial order that includes the specific URLs targeted for removal. The minister emphasized that requiring the removal of content in a generic manner—without identifying the precise links—amounts to an unfeasible legal obligation.

share