Google copyright removal requests rise to 2.5 million per week

The number of copyright removal requests Google receives per week has increased from 250,000 to 2.5 million in just six months, prompting the search provider to make details of each request publicly available.

On Tuesday, the company introduced a new feature allowing internet users to view and download details of all removal requests Google receives, excluding those concerning YouTube and Blogger accounts. The data will be updated daily. Google will also publish a monthly list of the top reporting organisations and the most complained about websites.

In a statement issued on the company’s blog, legal director Fred Von Lohmann said that Google is committed to fighting online piracy and that it removed 97.5 percent of all URLs specified in removal requests between December 2011 and November this year.

“By making our copyright data available in detail, we hope policymakers will be able to see whether or not laws are serving their intended purpose and are being enforced in the public interest,” he said.