French data privacy regulator rejects Google appeal in 'right to be forgotten' link removal

France's data privacy regulator has rejected Google's appeal of an order to remove search results worldwide upon request.

In a statement Monday, the agency known as CNIL denied that it was trying to apply French law globally, but rather to request that any companies that offer services in Europe conform to legislation.

The latest order from CNIL came in response to the May 2014 ruling from Europe's highest court that people have the right to control what appears when their name is searched online. Google says it has received 318,269 requests for removal, and accepted delisting of about 40 percent of the URLs evaluated.

Facebook links accounted for the most of any single website, Google said.

CNIL said Google must comply with the order or face possible sanctions.