UK Regulator Gives Publishers Option to Opt Out of Google AI Overviews
The UK’s CMA will allow publishers to opt out of Google AI Overviews while retaining visibility in standard search results.
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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has introduced new measures that will allow online publishers in the United Kingdom to choose whether or not their content is included in Google’s AI-generated search summaries.
The move is designed to give publishers, including news organisations, more leverage in negotiations with Google over arrangements for content, the regulator said.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns from website owners and publishers about significant drops in traffic since Google began showing AI-generated summaries, known as AI Overviews, at the top of search results pages.
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Publisher Controls:
Google said in a blog post Wednesday that it is testing new tools that would allow website owners to opt out of having their content used for AI-powered search features.
The company said the UK will be the first market for the trial before the controls are launched internationally.
Websites that opt out will no longer receive traffic or impressions from AI-generated search experiences, Google said. However, they will still rank and be just as visible in the regular Google Search results.
The CMA also said Google must provide clear attribution for publisher content used in AI-generated search responses, including direct links back to original websites.
“Transparency is vital to ensure users know where information comes from,” said Will Hayter, CMA’s Executive Director for Digital Markets.
It is a world-first measure to promote fairness and transparency in the digital ecosystem, CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said.
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Publisher Support:
The changes would give “fair treatment, greater transparency and meaningful choice for businesses and consumers,” she said.
The regulator believes the measures will help to address publishers’ concerns about how their content is used in generative AI products while also ensuring they retain greater control over participation.
Some parts of the publishing industry welcomed the move.
Theo Bamber, chief executive of the News Media Association, which represents publishers including the Financial Times and Guardian Media Group, said the development was a major step towards a fairer digital economy.
He said more regulatory support would be needed to ensure real progress on fair compensation for publisher content.
It is only then we will see meaningful progress towards a system of fair and reasonable payment for publisher content which is crucial for the future of high-quality journalism.” Bamber said.
