Google Allows UK News Publishers to Opt Out of its AI Search Features

Google is now allowing news publishers in the UK to opt out of having their content used in AI features in its search engine, including AI Mode and AI Overviews. The company is doing so after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) required the company to give publishers more control over the use of their content.

Back in October, following an in-depth investigation, the UK regulator determined that Google had ‘strategic market status’ (SMS) in the provision of general search and search advertising in the country. This allows the CMA to impose “conduct requirements” on the company to improve digital markets and protect competition

“In a world first, publishers will now have effective tools to prevent their content being used to power AI features in search, such as AI Overviews. This will put publishers, like news organisations, in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google. To boost consumer trust, Google is also now required to make sure that publisher content is properly attributed, using clear links, in AI‑generated search results,” the CMA said today.

In a separate announcement, Google defended its AI search features, arguing that “features like AI Overviews and AI Mode are designed to help people find and visit great websites, and to help publishers and websites strengthen their audiences.” The company also claimed that thanks to its AI search features, “people are more satisfied with Search.” To back that up, Google reiterated that AI Overviews now have over 2.5 billion monthly active users, while AI Mode recently crossed one billion monthly users.

Still, to comply with the new conduct requirement imposed under the UK’s digital markets competition regime, Google will introduce a new toggle on its Search Console allowing website owners to decide if they want their content to appear in its AI Search features. “This control will not be used as a ranking signal for search results outside of these generative AI Search features,” the company emphasized.

This new toggle in the Google Search Console will start rolling out to a subset of website owners in the UK. The UK CMA will monitor what Google is doing to allow publishers to opt out of allowing their content to be used in Google’s AI search features, and Google will also be required to publish compliance reports. “We’ll also continue to use the unique flexibility of the UK regime to monitor and address future concerns as they arise and we will be announcing further action in relation to Google’s search business in the coming weeks,” said Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA.