- Publishers must now be allowed to opt out of AI overviews and AI mode
- They should not be penalized by risking loss of visibility in general search
- Google gets nine months to implement changes, must submit reports
The UK’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has imposed new requirements on Google now that the company has been designated to have ‘Strategic Market Status’ (SMS) across UK search services.
Under the new rules, Google will have to allow publishers to opt out of having their content used in its AI-powered search features, such as full AI mode and the AI overviews that appear at the top of regular search results — but without being removed from regular search results.
This marks an important change because previously publishers who opted out also risked losing visibility in general search.
Google faces new requirements under the CMA rules
In addition, the company will be required to properly attribute publishers with links back to the original source, which the CMA hopes will help consumers identify where the information came from and to prove its authenticity.
The regulator has also required Google to submit two compliance reports within the first year to prove it complies with the new requirements, and the company has been given nine months to fully implement all the changes.
“With features like AI Overviews rapidly reshaping online search, it’s critical that content publishers, including news organizations, have appropriate bargaining power over how their content is used,” explained CEO Sarah Cardell.
Google is not the only company facing investigations by the CMA, with Microsoft and Apple also subject to SMS investigations.
“We will also continue to use the UK regime’s unique flexibility to monitor and address future concerns as they arise, and we will announce further action in relation to Google’s search business in the coming weeks,” Cardell added.
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