Google was trying to satisfy its customers and allow them to easily remove personal data from search results, but this move has only infuriated an entertainment industry, which continues to insist that the online giant should better fight Internet piracy.

Just a few days ago, Google complied with an EU privacy ruling – the so-called “right to be forgotten”. The company has already launched a special webpage to allow European citizens to submit requests for links being taken off search results.

Now Google is criticized for dragging its feet over implementing similar measures but regarding deleting the pirate websites from search results, while its move to comply with the ruling proves that the company is able to take serious action if forced.

Although Google seems to be reluctant to fiddle with its algorithm, which underpins a $383 billion global operation, it was discovered to be doing so to protect its business. For example, a number of companies have seen a traffic-killing demotion in web listings for breaking Google’s search marketing rules.

At the same time, the music industry is still being ravaged, complaining at 1bn illegal track downloads in 2013 worth over £300 million. For instance, the BPI made over 4.5 million requests to the search engine to remove pirate websites from its listings in May alone.

The entertainment industry is trying to push Google to acknowledge the important role it plays in funnelling traffic to pirate websites. But they for some reason forget that the search engine can’t be blamed for piracy. Only 13% of unauthorized downloaders use search engines to access music websites, and 8% for film sites.

In response, Google supporters claim that serious piracy is done by a hardcore of users (for instance, in the UK 1.5% of users conduct 80% of all illegal activity), who are not the public at large using Google. Despite this fact, the search giant remains being accused of failure to react, and its anti-piracy efforts were called “derisorily ineffective”. At the same time, nobody can deny that Google became much more proactive now, taking down 23 million unauthorized web links in May alone.

Google claims that it spends tens of millions of dollars on technology to fight digital piracy. The company is a major supporter of the “Follow The Money” initiative, which cuts revenue from advertising for pirate websites.

Entertainment industry also accused Google of fighting hard to try to preserve the illusion of neutrality – that it is just an intermediary who doesn’t interact with the provided services. In other words, it is believed that the company just doesn’t want to take responsibility for what goes on with its services.