Publishers challenge Google in EU

Online publishers in France have filed a complaint against Google with the European Commission, arguing that the tech giant is using their content to train its artificial intelligence services without proper negotiation or consultation.

Complaint highlights traffic decline

The publishers used a strict measurement system to compare their traffic, visibility, brand awareness, and subscriptions before and after the launch of AI Overviews and AI Mode in France on July 22. They observed a general decline in traffic, though the impact varied between sites and pages.

Alleged unfair use of content

The core of the complaint is that Google uses website content to feed its AI services under unfair conditions, without negotiation or consultation. The publishers claim this gives Google an unfair advantage and could lead to their gradual removal from the market.

Publishers emphasize dependence on Google

The complainant organizations note that publishers heavily rely on Google's search engine to reach their audiences. They argue that their content is used to develop features that might replace visits to their own sites, without transparency or control for the publishers.

Coalition forms for EU investigation

The launch of AI Overviews and AI Mode in France on July 22 prompted publishers to warn the market about the lack of prior negotiation. They formed the largest coalition of French associations and professional organizations ever assembled in a procedure before the European competition authority.