GDPR & deleting my name/picture from someone’s blog- how?
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Hi, I’ve requsted the owner of an inactive blog to take down a 12 year old photo and my name referenced on her blog. She says she doesnt have the password anymore and cant get into her site. What are my other options, if any? Via WordPress? By the way, I live in Europe where GDPR Data Erasure/Privacy rights are taken very seriously. Thanks !
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Hi there,
I imagine having a photo and your name on someone else’s blog post feels unsettling, especially after many years of being there. It is reasonable to want more control over how your personal information appears online.
Even though the site owner can no longer access their account, there are still a few options we can look into:
For you
If the blog is hosted with us (WordPress.com), you can report the page to our Trust and Safety team.
Right here: https://wordpress.com/abuse.
When you do, include the link to the exact page where the photo and your name appear, noting that you’ve already contacted the owner, but they no longer have control over the blog.
In most cases, site owners are responsible for the content they publish and for handling requests related to personal data under regulations like GDPR. Still, concerns like yours are reviewed carefully when we receive them.
For the site owner
Not having credentials handy is quite common, and there’s often a way back in.
They can try resetting their password using the “Lost password?” page if they still have access to the original email address.
Otherwise, they can fill out the Account Recovery form. In some cases, we can restore access after verifying ownership, for example, with a past transaction ID or other account details.If they regain access, they could remove the photo or post directly.
If you’d like a hand moving forward, drop us a message at help@wordpress.com, so we can go through it together.
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