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42m ago

EU Opens Antitrust Probe Into Google’s Search Spam Policy Over News Publisher Demotions

The inquiry will test whether Google’s anti‑spam rules cut off a legitimate revenue stream for publishers under the Digital Markets Act.

The Google logo is seen outside the company's offices in London, Britain, June 24, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso//File Photo
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Overview

  • The European Commission said monitoring indicates Google lowers the visibility of publisher pages that include commercial partner content such as sponsored editorials or offers.
  • Officials will solicit evidence from news organizations on traffic and revenue impacts and aim to conclude the case within 12 months.
  • The investigation proceeds under the DMA, exposing Alphabet to fines up to 10% of global turnover and potential remedies for repeat or systematic breaches.
  • Google called the case misguided, argued the policy protects users from deceptive “parasite SEO,” and cited a German court decision upholding the approach.
  • Complaints from ActMeraki and publisher groups including the European Publishers Council, ENPA and EMMA helped trigger the probe, which follows a €2.95 billion EU fine against Google in September.