EU Launches Probe into Google Search's Alleged Unfair Demotion of News Media Content

The European Union has launched an investigation into Google Search over concerns that the US tech company has been "demoting" commercial content from news media sites. The EU's executive arm announced the probe after monitoring found certain content created with advertisers and sponsors was being given such low priority by Google that it was effectively no longer visible in search results.

European Commission officials say this potentially unfair "loss of visibility and of revenue" to media owners may be a result of Google's anti-spam policy. Under the EU's Digital Markets Act, Google must apply "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions of access to publishers' websites on Google Search." The commission will now ask publishers to submit evidence of any impacts to their traffic and revenues due to suspected breaches of these fair practices.

"We are concerned that Google's policies do not allow news publishers to be treated in a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner in its search results," said a senior EU official. The investigation is not into the overall indexing of newspapers or their reporting on Google Search, but specifically into commercial content provided by third parties. The EU says it is compelled to take steps to protect traditional media, which is now competing in the online marketplace.