UK Watchdog Pushes Google to Let Publishers Opt Out of AI Overviews Amid Traffic Concerns

Google Considers Letting Websites Opt Out of Having Content Scraped for AI Overviews

Katie is a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a "living synth" by London's Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand. Google says it's exploring the option of letting publishers opt out of having their website content used to generate AI Overviews at the top of search results. In a blog post published on Thursday, the company addressed its approach to the controls it provides to websites in order to manage how their content appears in Search AI features. The post was Google's response to the fact that the UK's Competition and Markets Authority has opened a consultation into potential new requirements for Google. Google introduced its AI Overviews features, which places AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, in summer 2024. The company relies on information scraped from websites to generate Overviews, and websites have been unable to opt out of Google using their content for this purpose. As a direct result of this, many publishers and media organizations around the world have reported massive drops in click-through traffic, which has a domino effect on revenue and their ability to the produce the original content Google relies upon for Overviews. Citing Google's dominant position in the online search world, the CMA proposed a package of measures on Wednesday designed to ensure news and content producers get a fairer deal over how their content in used by the company. These measures include allowing publishers to opt out of their content being used to power AI features, such as AI overview, or to train AI models outside of Google Search. In its blog post, Google said it was "now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features." It didn't say whether these controls would be available to publishers based outside of the UK. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content," the company said. "We look forward to engaging in the CMA's process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic." The company also stated that any new controls it added needed to avoid breaking Google Search "in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people." Its overall goal is to protect "the helpfulness" of Search. It should be noted that Google's AI Overviews have, on many occasions, provided inaccurate information, including in the above screenshot, which erroneously identifies CNET's parent company as Red Ventures. (CNET is currently owned by Ziff Davis.) It could be argued that this represents an example of the "fragmented and confusing experience" Google says it wants to avoid. The CMA said it would wait a year to announce the results of the consultation and whether it planned to take further action. In the meantime, Google said it hopes it can find a path forward "that provides even more choice to website owners and publishers."

UK pushes Google to allow sites to opt out of AI overviews

LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Britain said it wanted Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab to change its search services to give businesses and consumers more choice, including allowing publishers to "opt out" of their content being used in AI overviews or to train standalone AI models. The proposals come after the Competition and Markets Authority designated Google with "strategic market status" in October, giving it powers to take measures to increase competition in the sector. As well as ensuring a better deal for content publishers in the development of artificial intelligence, the CMA also proposed changes to make sure the ranking of search results is fair and transparent and make it easier for people to choose other search engines. IMPORTANT MILESTONE CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said the consultation on the first conduct requirements under the digital markets competition regime is an important milestone. The consultation is set to close on February 25. "These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services," she said on Wednesday. "They would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews." Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab said people were rapidly changing how they searched and AI Overviews were helping them discover new content. It said it had long provided publishers with a range of controls, and it was "exploring updates" to let sites opt out of search generative AI features. "Any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people," said Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management. "We're optimistic we can find a path forward that provides even more choice to website owners and publishers, while ensuring people continue to get the most helpful and innovative search experience possible." Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle, editing by Sarah Young and Mark Heinrich Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Boards, Policy & Regulation

UK proposes forcing Google to let publishers opt out of AI summaries

LONDON (AP) -- Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday that Google should give news sites and content creators the choice to opt out of having their online content scraped to feed its AI overviews. It's part of a set of proposals from the Competition and Markets Authority aimed at loosening the U.S. tech giant's stranglehold on the U.K's online search market. The watchdog last year labeled Google a "strategic" player in online search advertising, using new digital powers to promote more competition by forcing changes to the company's business practices. The CMA's report noted that news publishers have suffered a drop in traffic since Google rolled out its AI Overviews - summaries that appear at the top of some search queries - because fewer users are clicking through to the original articles. The watchdog said Google should give publishers "meaningful choice" over how their content is used in AI-generated responses; be more transparent about the process; and properly cite content used in AI results. Google said it was looking forward to engaging with the watchdog and would continue discussions with website owners. "We're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features," Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said in a blog post. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. Will Hayter, the CMA's executive director for digital markets, said in a blog post that the measures would support the "long-term sustainability" of publishers and "help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see." The CMA also recommended that Google rank its search results fairly, and not give priority to websites that have advertising or other business deals with Google. And it proposed making it easier for people to switch their default search engine by requiring choice screens on Android devices and the Chrome browser. The watchdog will make its final decision after gathering feedback in a consultation that ends on Feb. 25.

UK wants to give web publishers a 'fairer' deal with Google's AI overviews

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is recommending measures to give publishers more control over how their content is used in Google's AI overviews. The aim is to "provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organizations," the CMA's chief executive Sarah Cardell said in a press release. With Google accounting for more than 90 percent of search inquiries in the UK, the CMA recently designated the company with "strategic market status" for search under the Digital Market Act. That allows the regulator to apply "conduct requirements" on Google to promote competition and avoid antitrust issues. With those new powers, the CMA proposed a number of measures today. The first is a set of controls that would allow publishers to opt out of their content being used for features like AI Overviews or to train AI models. Google would also need to properly attribute publisher content. Another measure would require Google to apply fair search result rankings for businesses, with an "effective process for raising and investigating issues." Google would also need to provide a "choice screen" for alternative search options on Android mobile and Chrome browsers. "These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services -- as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy," Cardell said in a statement. In response, Google wrote that it's "exploring updates to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features." The aim, it said, is to keep search helpful for people who want information quickly while allowing publishers to better manage content. "Any new controls need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people," the company wrote, adding that it's "optimistic" it can meet the CMA's requirements. When its new designation was announced in October 2025, Google complained that some of the proposed interventions would inhibit UK innovation and growth. Citing a study, the company said that similar measures imposed by the European Union produced "negative results" that "have cost businesses $114 billion."

UK media groups should be allowed opt out of Google AI overviews, CMA says

News organisations hope proposals will increase leverage to get paid if content is used in AI summaries Web publishers and news organisations could be given the power to stop Google scraping their content for its AI overviews, under measures announced by the UK competition watchdog to loosen its grip on online search. Media organisations have experienced a drop in click-through traffic to their websites - and therefore their revenue - since Google started posting AI summaries at the top of search results, which many people read without clicking through to the original journalism. Sites have been unable to opt-out of their content being scraped for those overviews without also withdrawing from traditional Google search, which, given the company's market dominance, would hugely affect the visibility of their journalism. On Wednesday, the Competition and Markets Authority proposed "a fairer deal" over how their content was used and launched a month-long consultation on allowing publishers to "be able to opt out of their content being used to power AI features such as AI Overviews or to train AI models outside of Google search". In the first measures to be announced under the UK's new digital markets competition regime, the CMA also said Google would have to rank its search results fairly, including not up-rating organisations with which it has commercial relationships or potentially punishing websites for speaking out against it. Google says it does not provide special treatment based on an organisation's relationship with it. News media organisations hope the changes will increase their leverage to get paid if their content is used in Google's AI mode. However, there was disappointment that the CMA also announced it would wait a year to decide whether to take further action to ensure publishers receive fair and reasonable terms for their content. Owen Meredith, the chief executive of the News Media Association trade body, welcomed the moves. IHe said the CMA had recognised Google was "able to extract valuable data without reward, harming publishers and giving the company an unfair advantage over competitors in the AI model market, including British startups". Google said: "Any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience." But added that it was "working on ways to let news sites opt out of AI overviews". The CMA is also expected to legally require Google to install "choice screens" to allow users to more easily switch to other search services on Android mobiles and introduce them on the Google Chrome browser. This month a report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found media executives around the world feared search engine referrals would fall by 43% over the next three years amid the rise of AI summaries and chatbots. Google search is down 33% globally, according to data for more than 2,500 news sites sourced by Chartbeat, with lifestyle, celebrity and travel content more heavily affected than current affairs and news outlets. Sarah Cardell, the CMA chief executive, said the moves would give UK businesses and consumers more control over how they interacted with Google search, unlock opportunity for innovation across the UK tech sector and "provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI overviews". Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said: "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. We look forward to engaging in the CMA's process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic."

Our approach to website controls for Search AI features

Shifts in user behavior are rapidly changing how people search for information, and features like AI Overviews are helping people discover new content and ask more questions. Today, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a consultation on potential new requirements for Google Search, including on the controls we provide to websites to manage their content in Search AI features. This is a complex topic because it can affect how people find information and how websites get found in Search. For years, we have provided web publishers with a range of controls, based on open standards like robots.txt, to manage how their content appears in Search. As technology has evolved, so have our tools. We added controls for things like Featured Snippets and image previews (which also apply to AI Overviews). And more recently, we introduced Google-Extended, a new control that lets websites manage how their content is used to train our Gemini models. Building on this framework, and working with the web ecosystem, we're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features. Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. We look forward to engaging in the CMA's process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic. Any new controls need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people. As AI increasingly becomes a core part of how people find information, any new controls also need to be simple and scalable for website owners. We're optimistic we can find a path forward that provides even more choice to website owners and publishers, while ensuring people continue to get the most helpful and innovative Search experience possible.

UK proposes to let websites refuse Google AI search

London (AFP) - Britain's competition watchdog proposed Wednesday that websites be allowed to opt out of having content used by Google's "AI Overviews" feature as it tackles the technology giant's dominance in online search. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in October paved the way for tougher regulation on the matter, under new targeted measures focused on technology giants. Last year it designated Google with "strategic market status" (SMS), subjecting it to special requirements, following a nine-month investigation. CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said Wednesday that the regulator's proposal, which is out for consultation until February 25, "would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services". She added in a statement that it "would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews". The CMA proposed that publishers "be able to opt out of their content being used to power AI features such as AI Overviews or to train AI models outside of Google search". "Google will also be required to take practical steps to ensure publisher content is properly attributed in AI results," it added. Website publishers, particularly media outlets, say that AI pilfers their content without compensation to feed its models. They also argue that the AI-generated summaries discourage clicks to publishers' original pages, reducing traffic to their sites and in turn cutting their advertising revenue. "Google is able to extract valuable data without reward, harming publishers and giving the company an unfair advantage over competitors in the AI model market," said Owen Meredith, chief executive of industry group, News Media Association. 'Confusing experience' Google's search engine accounts for more than 90 percent of online enquiries in the UK, according to the regulator. It also says that over 200,000 businesses in the UK rely on Google search advertising to reach customers. Responding to the watchdog's announcement, Google said it was already exploring updates to its controls "to let sites specifically opt out of search generative AI features". "Any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people," the company's principal for product management, Ron Eden, said in a statement. Among its other proposals, the CMA suggests displaying a screen to facilitate changing a user's default search engine, and rules guaranteeing a fair ranking of results, which Google should be able to demonstrate. "These measures will give publishers -- including news and other content producers -- stronger bargaining power and support the long-term sustainability of trusted information online," Will Hayter, executive director for digital markets at the CMA, said in a blog post. "They will also help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see," he added. The UK's stricter regulation is modelled on the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which a handful of tech giants -- including Apple, Google, and Meta -- must comply with. Google employs more than 7,000 people in the UK, according to its website.

UK CMA wants Google to allow sites to opt out of AI Overviews

Google said that it is exploring ways to allow sites to opt out of search generative AI features. UK's markets watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed measures to allow content publishers to opt out of Google's AI Overviews. Plus, if the proposal goes ahead, Google will also be required to ensure publisher content is properly attributed in its AI results. Google rolled-out its now widespread AI-generated summary function in 2024, expanding it to the UK months later in August that year. The tool has come under fire multiple times in the few short years since its launch, with Google facing lawsuits from Penske, the parent company behind Rolling Stone and Variety, and US edtech Chegg, for allegedly redirecting traffic from their websites and materially affecting their revenue. Google denied the allegations made by Penske, claiming, at the time, that "Google sends billions of clicks to sites across the web [every day]", adding "AI Overviews send traffic to a greater diversity of sites". According to the CMA, Google Search accounts for more than 90pc of all general search queries in the UK, with more than 200,000 firms in the country having collectively spent more than £10bn for search advertising on Google last year. On the other hand, AI search's value cannot be denied, as showcased by Google itself, which is working towards enabling direct payments on AI chatbots so shoppers can make purchases without clicking on the merchant's site. Yesterday's (28 January) CMA proposal comes after Google was given the 'strategic market status' designation in the country in October 2025. This designation applies to Google's app distribution, browser and browser engines, and allows the CMA to introduce targeted rules to ensure the company complies with conduct requirements around fair competition and transparency. The Guardian reports that media organisations have experienced a drop in click-through traffic to their websites after Google started posting AI summaries at the top of the search results. It also finds that sites have been unable to opt out of their content being used by AI Overviews without also withdrawing from traditional search. With this new proposal, the CMA wants to ensure that publishers, including news and other content producers, get a "fairer deal" over how their content is used in Google's AI features. This includes being able to opt out of their content being used to power AI Overviews or to train AI models outside of Google search. It also wants users to be able to easily switch search services by making default choice screens - where browsers ask users to pick their default search engines - a legal requirement on Android mobiles and the Chrome browser. In addition, it wants Google to make it easier for individual users and businesses to make use of its search data, with an effective process for raising and investigating issues, while also requiring the company to demonstrate that it ranks search results - including AI Overviews and AI Mode - "fairly". The CMA is seeking feedback on its proposals. A final decision will be made on the matter after the consultation closes on 25 February. On the back of the announcement, Google has said that it is exploring updates to allow sites to specifically opt of search generative AI features. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content," the company said in a blog post yesterday. "Today is an important milestone as we consult on the first conduct requirements under the digital markets competition regime in the UK," said Sarah Cardell, the chief executive of the CMA. "These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services - as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy. "They would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews." Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

UK government to allow publishers to opt out of Google data scraping for AI Overview

UK government to allow publishers to opt out of Google data scraping for AI Overview The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority today issued a press release recommending measures that will give publishers more freedom in deciding how their content is used by Google LLC's artificial intelligence systems. About 90% of online search queries in the country use Google search, but now with Google's AI Overviews and AI mode, which scrapes content from publishers and offers short or in-depth summaries, publishers are seeing far fewer people clicking on their websites. News websites have been hit particularly hard, recently called a "devastating impact," following a study. The government hopes to offset this by allowing publishers to opt out of Google harvesting their content. The new measures will also ask Google to properly attribute the sources from which the overviews are taken, with the aim to "provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organizations." Another change would be to force Google to ensure the ranking of search results is fair and transparent, while asking the company to give people quick access to other search engines. "These targeted and proportionate actions would give U.K. businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services -- as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the U.K. tech sector and broader economy," CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said in the press release. Ministers will decide on exactly what approach the government will take by March 18. Google's response to the matter was tepid. Ron Eden, the company's principal for product management, said the goal with AI overviews is to help people gather "information quickly," while "also giving websites the right tools to manage their content." However, he cautions against new controls that might result in a "fragmented or confusing" experience. "We're optimistic we can find a path forward that provides even more choice to website owners and publishers, while ensuring people continue to get the most helpful and innovative search experience possible," he said. The news will be music to the ears of Britain's publishers and content providers in what has become a battle between them and U.S. Big Tech. The U.K.'s Daily Mail alone, a website with roughly 4 million daily visitors, has reported that since Google introduced Overview, its traffic has fallen by about 50%.

UK proposes forcing Google to let publishers opt out of AI summaries

LONDON (AP) -- Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday that Google should give news sites and content creators the choice to opt out of having their online content scraped to feed its AI overviews. It's part of a set of proposals from the Competition and Markets Authority aimed at loosening the U.S. tech giant's stranglehold on the U.K's online search market. The watchdog last year labeled Google a "strategic" player in online search advertising, using new digital powers to promote more competition by forcing changes to the company's business practices. The CMA's report noted that news publishers have suffered a drop in traffic since Google rolled out its AI Overviews - summaries that appear at the top of some search queries - because fewer users are clicking through to the original articles. The watchdog said Google should give publishers "meaningful choice" over how their content is used in AI-generated responses; be more transparent about the process; and properly cite content used in AI results. Google said it was looking forward to engaging with the watchdog and would continue discussions with website owners. "We're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features," Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said in a blog post. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. Will Hayter, the CMA's executive director for digital markets, said in a blog post that the measures would support the "long-term sustainability" of publishers and "help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see." The CMA also recommended that Google rank its search results fairly, and not give priority to websites that have advertising or other business deals with Google. And it proposed making it easier for people to switch their default search engine by requiring choice screens on Android devices and the Chrome browser. The watchdog will make its final decision after gathering feedback in a consultation that ends on Feb. 25.

UK proposes forcing Google to let publishers opt out of AI summaries

Britain's competition watchdog says Google should let news sites and content creators opt out of having their content scraped for AI overviews LONDON -- Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday that Google should give news sites and content creators the choice to opt out of having their online content scraped to feed its AI overviews. It's part of a set of proposals from the Competition and Markets Authority aimed at loosening the U.S. tech giant's stranglehold on the U.K's online search market. The watchdog last year labeled Google a "strategic" player in online search advertising, using new digital powers to promote more competition by forcing changes to the company's business practices. The CMA's report noted that news publishers have suffered a drop in traffic since Google rolled out its AI Overviews - summaries that appear at the top of some search queries - because fewer users are clicking through to the original articles. The watchdog said Google should give publishers "meaningful choice" over how their content is used in AI-generated responses; be more transparent about the process; and properly cite content used in AI results. Google said it was looking forward to engaging with the watchdog and would continue discussions with website owners. "We're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features," Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said in a blog post. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. Will Hayter, the CMA's executive director for digital markets, said in a blog post that the measures would support the "long-term sustainability" of publishers and "help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see." The CMA also recommended that Google rank its search results fairly, and not give priority to websites that have advertising or other business deals with Google. And it proposed making it easier for people to switch their default search engine by requiring choice screens on Android devices and the Chrome browser. The watchdog will make its final decision after gathering feedback in a consultation that ends on Feb. 25.

UK Proposes Forcing Google to Let Publishers Opt Out of AI Summaries

LONDON (AP) -- Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday that Google should give news sites and content creators the choice to opt out of having their online content scraped to feed its AI overviews. It's part of a set of proposals from the Competition and Markets Authority aimed at loosening the U.S. tech giant's stranglehold on the U.K's online search market. The watchdog last year labeled Google a "strategic" player in online search advertising, using new digital powers to promote more competition by forcing changes to the company's business practices. The CMA's report noted that news publishers have suffered a drop in traffic since Google rolled out its AI Overviews - summaries that appear at the top of some search queries - because fewer users are clicking through to the original articles. The watchdog said Google should give publishers "meaningful choice" over how their content is used in AI-generated responses; be more transparent about the process; and properly cite content used in AI results. Google said it was looking forward to engaging with the watchdog and would continue discussions with website owners. "We're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features," Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said in a blog post. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. Will Hayter, the CMA's executive director for digital markets, said in a blog post that the measures would support the "long-term sustainability" of publishers and "help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see." The CMA also recommended that Google rank its search results fairly, and not give priority to websites that have advertising or other business deals with Google. And it proposed making it easier for people to switch their default search engine by requiring choice screens on Android devices and the Chrome browser. The watchdog will make its final decision after gathering feedback in a consultation that ends on Feb. 25.

UK proposes forcing Google to let publishers opt out of AI summaries

Britain's competition watchdog wants Google to let news sites choose if their content feeds AI. This aims to boost competition in the UK search market. Google's AI summaries have reduced traffic to news articles. The watchdog also wants Google to be transparent and cite sources. Fair search result ranking and easier search engine switching are also proposed. Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday that Google should give news sites and content creators the choice to opt out of having their online content scraped to feed its AI overviews. It's part of a set of proposals from the Competition and Markets Authority aimed at loosening the US tech giant's stranglehold on the UK's online search market. The watchdog last year labeled Google a "strategic" player in online search advertising, using new digital powers to promote more competition by forcing changes to the company's business practices. The CMA's report noted that news publishers have suffered a drop in traffic since Google rolled out its AI Overviews - summaries that appear at the top of some search queries - because fewer users are clicking through to the original articles. The watchdog said Google should give publishers "meaningful choice" over how their content is used in AI-generated responses; be more transparent about the process; and properly cite content used in AI results. Google said it was looking forward to engaging with the watchdog and would continue discussions with website owners. "We're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features," Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said in a blog post. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. Will Hayter, the CMA's executive director for digital markets, said in a blog post that the measures would support the "long-term sustainability" of publishers and "help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see." The CMA also recommended that Google rank its search results fairly, and not give priority to websites that have advertising or other business deals with Google. And it proposed making it easier for people to switch their default search engine by requiring choice screens on Android devices and the Chrome browser. The watchdog will make its final decision after gathering feedback in a consultation that ends on Feb. 25.

U.K. proposes letting websites refuse being included in Google's AI search

Britain's competition watchdog proposed Wednesday that websites be allowed to opt out of having their content be used by Google's "AI Overviews" feature as it tackles the technology giant's dominance in online search. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in October paved the way for tougher regulation on the matter, under new targeted measures focused on technology giants. Last year, it designated Google with "strategic market status" (SMS), subjecting it to special requirements, following a nine-month investigation.

Google faces making changes to search services under watchdog proposals | BreakingNews

Google must make sure publishers get a "fairer deal" in how their content is used in the tech giant's AI Overviews and make it easier for people to switch search services under proposals outlined by Britain's competition watchdog. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has tabled a series of proposed measures to improve Google's search services in the UK after it designated the firm with so-called strategic market status in October for its "substantial and entrenched market power" in the sector. The conduct requirements include giving publishers - including news and other content creators - more choice and transparency over how their content is used in Google's artificial intelligence-based search feature, AI Overviews. Google will also be required to demonstrate to the CMA and users that it ranks search results fairly, including in AI Overviews and AI Mode, as part of the plans. These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services The CMA is proposing making it a legal requirement that people are given a default choice screen on Android mobiles and the Chrome browser to make it easier to switch search services. The regulator also wants Google to allow for data portability to make it easier for people and businesses to make use of search findings. Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: "Today is an important milestone as we consult on the first conduct requirements under the digital markets competition regime in the UK. "These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services - as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy. "They would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews." The CMA will now consult on the measures, with a deadline for feedback of February 25. The move marks the first time the CMA has used new powers to set conduct requirements after designating strategic market status as it looks to tackle the dominance of tech giants. Under new digital market rules which recently came into force, firms designated with the status can have measures imposed on them which boost competition for UK businesses and choice for consumers.

U.K. Competition Watchdog Floats Measures for Google Search -- Update

The U.K.'s competition watchdog said it is seeking feedback on a pack of measures Alphabet's Google would need to implement under the country's new digital-competition rules. The Competition and Markets Authority said Wednesday that, under its plans, Google might have to provide publishers with more?choice and transparency over how their content is used in the search giant's AI Overviews, the company's artificial-intelligence feature which produces AI-generated summaries of search results. Google might also be required to demonstrate how it ranks content fairly in search results, and be legally obliged to show people using Android devices with choice screens so they can select their own default apps. The CMA's proposals are related to the country's digital-competition rulebook, which the watchdog says aims to level the playing field for businesses online. The regulator set a Feb. 25 deadline to receive feedback on its proposed measures. "Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content," Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said. "We look forward to engaging in the CMA's process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic."