The European Commission is once again investigating whether Google disadvantages publishers. According to complaints, Google's rules cause news website articles to rank lower if they have advertisements on their pages. As a result, European newspaper companies reportedly receive fewer visitors and less revenue.
Publishers argue that Google determines too much about who and what is visible on the internet. They believe that one company should not decide which news articles get noticed and which disappear. Several European industry organizations have backed these complaints and called on Brussels to intervene.
The European Commission fears that Google, due to its position in the search engine market, plays too large a role in the online traffic to media companies. When online visibility shifts, advertising revenues shift as well. Brussels wants to find out if this happens fairly.
Google disputes the criticism. The company says the rules are necessary to prevent deception and low quality. Without intervention, websites would use mass tactics to rank higher, which Google argues would actually worsen search results.
The company warns that restrictions from Brussels ultimately affect internet users. If certain measures are adjusted or reversed, search results could become less clear or less reliable. Google therefore calls the EU investigation unfair and harmful.
The Commission's investigation will last about a year. During this time, Brussels wants insight into the effects on European publishers and asks companies for examples of revenue loss or declining reach due to Google's rules.
This new step comes on top of the previous fine of nearly three billion euros that Google received for abuse of power in digital advertising. That case is still ongoing, and Google is trying to prevent parts of the company from being divested through adjustments to its advertising services.
For digital ads, Google has already proposed some changes. For example, publishers may set multiple minimum prices for advertising space. With this, the company tries to show it is willing to make changes without the EU imposing harsh interventions.
The combination of the earlier fine and the new investigation makes clear that the disagreement between Google and Brussels is growing. This fits into a broader struggle: large American tech companies are trying to break free from the strict European internet rules DMA and DSA, while the EU wants to prevent any one player from gaining too much power.