The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Google amid concerns the tech giant is demoting online news and media outlets in search results through policies that may breach the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The probe, launched on Thursday, follows evidence gathered by the Commission suggesting that Google’s anti-spam policy could be unfairly penalising legitimate media publishers who rely on partnerships and third-party content for revenue.
Officials said they are assessing whether the company’s “site reputation abuse policy” — introduced earlier this year to prevent manipulative ranking practices — is in violation of the EU’s landmark competition rules.
The policy, which targets websites hosting sponsored or third-party material that Google considers deceptive, has drawn sharp criticism from publishers who argue it directly impacts a common monetisation strategy.
According to the European Commission, the enforcement of this policy “appears to directly affect a legitimate way for publishers to monetise their content and cooperate with third-party providers.”
An EU spokesperson said that the decision to demote certain pages has caused “a significant loss of visibility, reach, and corresponding advertising revenue” for affected media outlets across Europe.
The move comes after German media firm ActMeraki filed a complaint in April, alleging that Google’s algorithmic changes unfairly punished reputable publishers for hosting external or commercial content.
In its announcement, the Commission said it will investigate whether Google, which operates under parent company Alphabet, is applying its policies in a way that restricts fair competition or violates Articles 6(12) and 6(5) of the DMA.
If found guilty of non-compliance, Google could face fines of up to 10% of its global annual turnover — a figure that may double to 20% for repeated breaches under the EU’s tougher digital regulation framework.
EU says fair treatment for publishers at stake
Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, said the investigation seeks to ensure that “digital gatekeepers” do not exploit their market dominance to disadvantage independent publishers.
“We are concerned that Google’s policies do not allow news publishers to be treated in a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner,” Ribera said.
She added that the Commission intends to safeguard revenue streams for news organisations “at a time when the industry is already facing financial pressure and structural change.”
The Commission’s inquiry is expected to last up to 12 months, after which it will decide whether Alphabet’s conduct amounts to a breach of the DMA.
The legislation, introduced in 2024, requires major online platforms — known as gatekeepers — to operate under transparent, fair, and equitable terms with businesses that depend on them.
Google defends policy as anti-spam measure
In response, Google said the EU’s action was “misguided” and risks harming users and publishers alike by undermining efforts to maintain the quality of search results.
Pandu Nayak, the company’s Vice President of Search, said: “Our anti-spam policy is essential to how we fight deceptive pay-for-play tactics that degrade our results. This investigation risks rewarding bad actors.”
He also cited a ruling from a German court that dismissed a similar complaint earlier this year, describing the policy as “reasonable, consistent, and valid.”
“Search is built to highlight trustworthy content,” Nayak continued. “We are deeply concerned about any effort that would damage the quality of our results or interfere with how websites are ranked.”
The company maintains that its approach helps users find reliable information while protecting the integrity of the search ecosystem.
Google has faced several major EU investigations in recent years, including a €2.95bn fine in 2025 for abusing dominance in online advertising and earlier scrutiny under the DMA for self-preferencing its own services.
The latest case underscores Brussels’ broader push to rein in the power of global tech platforms and ensure a level playing field for Europe’s digital economy.
The Commission has vowed to continue monitoring the company’s conduct and enforce penalties if necessary to uphold the principles of fairness and transparency in online competition.
Editing by M10News Business Desk | Contact: business@m10news.com
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