The European Commission (EC) has formally opened a competition investigation into Google’s so-called “site reputation abuse” or anti-spam policy. The focus is on whether Google unfairly demotes certain publishers in its search engine results, potentially harming legitimate monetisation methods.
Specifically:
- Google’s policy targets “parasite SEO” practices—where third-party content is published on high-ranking host domains in order to benefit from their ranking signals.
- Publishers claim that when they carry commercial partner content (e.g., sponsored content, guest posts), Google’s policy may treat those as “spammy”, leading to ranking drops and revenue losses.
- The EC says this may violate the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires large digital “gatekeepers” to treat business users (such as publishers) in a “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” way.
Key Quotes
“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.” — EC antitrust chief Teresa Ribera Reuters
“The investigation … is entirely misguided and risks harming millions of European users.” — Google’s Search chief scientist Pandu Nayak
What’s At Stake
- If the EC finds Google in breach of the DMA, it could impose fines up to 10% of global annual turnover, or even more in certain contexts.
- Beyond fines, Google may be required to change how it applies its anti-spam policies, especially in relation to publishers and monetisation of content.
- For publishers, this probe could mean a reassessment of how they rely on Google Search for traffic and revenue, especially if content monetisation structures change.
- For Google, this adds to a growing list of regulatory pressures in Europe on how its Search and advertising businesses operate.
Why This Matters
- Balancing search quality vs business fairness: On one hand, Google argues that anti-spam policies protect users from deceptive ranking tactics. On the other hand, publishers say legitimate monetisation (e.g., sponsored content) is being caught in the net.
- Impact on digital journalism & ecosystems: Publishers are under pressure globally from declining ad revenues and shifting consumption habits. If search visibility drops further, it could deepen financial stress.
- Precedent for gatekeeper regulation: The DMA is still relatively new and this probe tests how a major change in policy (Google’s anti-spam enforcement) is viewed under the “fair and non-discriminatory treatment” obligations for gatekeepers.
- Implications for global players and Indian market: Although the probe is EU-centric, Google’s policies are global and shifts in how it treats content could ripple to publishers in India and elsewhere who depend on Search-driven traffic and monetisation.
Things to Watch
- The EC has said it aims to conclude the investigation within about 12 months.
- How Google responds: Will it adjust its policy in Europe to avoid finding of breach? Will it publish more transparent guidance to publishers about monetised third-party content?
- Impact on publishers: Some may prepare documentation or legal complaints to back claims of ranking drops, revenue losses.
- Broader regulatory outcomes: If Google is found non-compliant, it could trigger similar probes in other jurisdictions and shift how tech platforms engage with publishers globally.
Conclusion
This EU antitrust probe highlights a tension: how to maintain search result quality and deter manipulative SEO tactics, while ensuring that legitimate publishers are not unfairly penalised by broad enforcement policies. The outcome will matter not only for Google and European publishers, but for the global digital news ecosystem and how “gatekeepers” are regulated under the DMA.
