Google Tests Removing EU News Content from Search Feeds in 'Time-Limited Trial'
In mid-November 2024, Google initiated a temporary test affecting 1% of users in eight European countries, excluding EU-based news publishers from search results to assess compliance with the EU Copyright Directive, according to The Verge.
The test will remove EU-based news content from Google News, Search, and Discover for select users of Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. It will be an experiment to collect data on how users would act and engage when the news content is not shown a probable reason behind regulatory decisions.
Paused in France due to a court order, Google’s test excluding news publishers underscores ongoing tensions between tech platforms and media organizations over fair compensation under the EU Copyright Directive.
The outcome could influence how search engines manage news content across Europe.
Test Across Eight Countries
Google’s test, affecting 1% of users in Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, excludes EU-based news publishers from News, Search, and Discover. The giant’s testing experiment will help Google evaluate compliance with the EU Copyright Directive and will run for an unspecified duration.
The other 99 percent won’t see any difference in search results. According to Google, the experiment will provide data to regulators and publishers that may help draw conclusions on how the inclusion or exclusion of news content affects user habits and engagement.
The experiment was first scheduled to start in France but was put on hold by the court order after protests by the French Union of Magazine Press Editors (SEPM), citing it as a violation of commitments made by Google to France’s competition authority not to modify protected content presentation.
Court-Ordered Pause in France
The decision of the Paris court included a possible fine against Google of up to €900,000 per day in case it did not suspend the test. Google said, “We are reviewing the court order and pausing the launch of the test in France for the time being.”
This experiment is part of Google’s broader efforts to comply with the EU Copyright Directive, which requires platforms to license content from news publishers. According to Google Blog, as of June 2023, the search engine parent reached licensing agreements with 1,500 publications to meet these requirements.
The continuous experiment shows a tightrope balancing act between the tech platforms, regulatory compliances, and interests of media organizations. While Google undergoes these challenges, the test results could shape future discussions on news content visibility in search engines across Europe.
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