How Google's Knowledge Graph works

Google’s search results sometimes show information that comes from our Knowledge Graph, our database of billions of facts about people, places, and things. The Knowledge Graph allows us to answer factual questions such as “How tall is the Eiffel Tower?” or “Where were the 2016 Summer Olympics held.” Our goal with the Knowledge Graph is for our systems to discover and surface publicly known, factual information when it’s determined to be useful.

Where do Knowledge Graph facts come from?

Facts in the Knowledge Graph come from a variety of sources that compile factual information. In addition to public sources, we license data to provide information such as sports scores, stock prices, and weather forecasts. We also receive factual information directly from content owners in various ways, including from those who suggest changes to knowledge panels they’ve claimed.

How does Google correct or remove Knowledge Graph information?

Google processes billions of searches per day. Automation is the only way to handle this many searches. This means the best way to improve our results is to improve our automated systems, our search algorithms.

Our systems automatically strive not to show information that would violate our policies listed below. However, the scale of search is so large that no system can be perfect. This is why we provide public reporting systems.

We carefully analyze the data captured through our public reporting systems and work to remove content that violates our policies. This data is also used to inform improvements to our algorithms. We also manually remove policy-violating information that comes to our attention, especially prioritizing issues relating to public interest topics such as civic, medical, scientific, and historical issues or where there’s a risk of serious and immediate harm.

How to request a knowledge panel change or report a Knowledge Graph issue

Knowledge Graph information about people, places, or things is often presented within knowledge panels.

If you’re the subject or an official representative of an entity depicted in a knowledge panel, you can claim this panel and suggest changes. More information about these processes are available in the following articles:

Businesses have special Business Profile panels and should use Business Profile to create, claim, and make suggestions to those.

Beyond official entities, anyone can send feedback about issues with knowledge panels, Business Profiles, or Knowledge Graph information in general. Such displays have feedback options.

  • On desktop, select Feedback at the bottom of displays to send feedback.
  • On mobile, select Feedback at the bottom of displays, or use the three vertical dots menu option at the top, to send feedback.

Request removal from a Knowledge Panel

To request removal from a Knowledge Panel, complete the Report a legal removal issue form.

Important: You must provide the specific URL of the Knowledge Panel you want to be removed from that includes the description why the URL should be taken down.

Find the correct URL for your request

There are 2 ways to find the specific link to a Knowledge Panel

Step 1: Find the specific link to a Knowledge Panel with the More icon.

  1. Do a Google search for the Knowledge Panel you want to request a removal on.
  2. Click More More and then Share Share and then Click to copy link.
  3. Submit the specific URL with a description of why it should legally be taken down using this webform.

Step 2: Find the specific link to a Knowledge Panel with the Share icon

  1. Do a Google search for the Knowledge Panel you want to request a removal on.
  2. Next to the subject's name on their Knowledge Panel, click Share Share and then Click to copy link.
  3. Submit the specific URL with a description of why it should legally be taken down using this webform.

Knowledge Graph policies

To help ensure knowledge graph and similar displays are a helpful experience for everyone, we have systems in place to prevent showing those that are in violation of  Google Search’s overall policies or these policies for Search features:

  • Advertisements
  • Dangerous content
  • Deceptive practices
  • Harassing content
  • Hateful content
  • Manipulated media
  • Medical topics
  • Regulated goods
  • Sexually explicit content
  • Terrorist content
  • Violence & gore
  • Vulgar language & profanity

Learn more about these Content policies for Google Search. 

Knowledge Graph displays also have these additional feature-specific policies that are applicable:

Incorrect information

We may remove information that's demonstrably false or outdated, as evidenced by, but not limited to legal documents, expert consensus, or other reputable primary sources. We may remove information presented as fact but without supporting evidence, if it accuses individuals or groups of serious malevolent acts. We may decline to act on facts that are reasonably disputed or lack demonstrative evidence.

Non-representative information

Names, titles, descriptions, and images of subjects, when supported by strong evidence that our automated systems have not made the most representative selection.

Related resources

About Knowledge Panels

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