The “right to be forgotten” has been featured in Brazilian media in recent years. Some cases brought before the courts confront the “right to privacy”, "right to information" and “right to be forgotten”. The article analyzes the emergence of the “right to be forgotten” in the digital environment and its consequences, researching European Union and Unesco documents. It also examines the reflections of some authors on the subject of memory and forgetting, and its implications in the virtual world. The article highlights the diversity of aspects involved in the issue, and considers its recent appearance as a matter of concern, more focused previously on digital memory.