UK Watchdog Pushes Google to Let Publishers Opt Out of AI Overviews Amid Traffic Concerns
16 Sources
[1]
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
[2]
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
[3]
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
[4]
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
[5]
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
[6]
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
[7]
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
[8]
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
[9]
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
[10]
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
[11]
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
[12]
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
[13]
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
[14]
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
[15]
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
[16]
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
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Britain's Competition and Markets Authority proposed measures requiring Google to allow publishers to opt out of having their content used in AI Overviews. The move comes after news organizations reported significant drops in website traffic since Google rolled out AI-generated summaries at the top of search results. Google says it's exploring updates to provide opt-out controls while maintaining search helpfulness.
UK Competition Watchdog Targets Google's AI Overviews
The Competition and Markets Authority has proposed a package of measures designed to give publishers more control over website content used in Google's AI Overviews feature. The UK competition watchdog announced Wednesday that Google should allow news organizations and content creators to opt out of having their content scraped for AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results
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. The proposals represent the first conduct requirements under Britain's new digital markets competition regime, following the CMA's decision to designate Google with "strategic market status" in October due to the company's market dominance, accounting for more than 90 percent of search inquiries in the UK4
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Source: CNET
Sarah Cardell, the CMA chief executive, emphasized that "these targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services" while providing "a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organizations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews"
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. The consultation on these requirements closes on February 25, with the CMA expected to announce final decisions after a year-long review period1
.Publishers Face Decline in Traffic for News Sites
The CMA's intervention addresses mounting concerns from publishers about the impact of Google's AI summaries on their business models. Many publishers and media organizations around the world have reported massive drops in click-through traffic since Google introduced AI Overviews in summer 2024, which has a domino effect on revenue and their ability to produce original content
1
. According to data from Chartbeat covering more than 2,500 news sites, Google search engine referrals are down 33 percent globally, with lifestyle, celebrity and travel content more heavily affected than current affairs outlets5
.A report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that media executives worldwide feared search engine referrals would fall by 43 percent over the next three years amid the rise of AI summaries and chatbots
5
. The current situation has left sites unable to opt out of their content being scraped for AI Overviews without also withdrawing from traditional Google search, which would hugely affect the visibility of their journalism given the company's market dominance5
.
Source: Silicon Republic
Google Explores Generative AI Feature Controls
In response to the CMA's proposals, Google acknowledged it is "now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features"
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. Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, stated that the company's 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"3
. However, Google emphasized that "any new controls need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people"4
.The company has long provided publishers with a range of controls and said it was optimistic about finding "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"
2
. Google did not specify whether these controls would be available to publishers based outside of the UK1
.Related Stories
Broader Measures Target Search Rankings and User Experience
Beyond allowing publishers opt out of AI, the CMA proposed additional measures to promote transparency and fair competition. Google would be required to rank its search results fairly and not give priority to websites that have advertising or other business deals with the company
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. The proposals also include an "effective process for raising and investigating issues" related to search rankings4
.The CMA is expected to legally require Google to install choice screens to allow users to more easily switch to other search services on Android mobile devices and introduce them on the Google Chrome browser
5
. Additionally, Google would need to properly attribute publisher content used in generative AI results to help people verify sources and build trust in what they see3
. The CMA's measures would also prevent content used for training AI models outside of Google Search without publisher consent2
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Source: Japan Times
Industry Response and Future Implications
Owen Meredith, chief executive of the News Media Association trade body, welcomed the moves, noting the CMA had recognized 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"
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. News organizations hope the changes will increase their leverage to negotiate payment if their content is used in Google's AI mode, though there was disappointment that the CMA would wait a year to decide on further action regarding fair compensation terms5
.The measures aim to support the "long-term sustainability" of publishers and unlock greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy
3
. For content creators and digital advertising stakeholders, the outcome of this consultation could set precedents for how tech platforms balance user experience with fair attribution and compensation for journalism. The question remains whether similar regulatory pressure will emerge in other markets where publishers face comparable challenges with website traffic and revenue decline.References
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