Google ordered to put clearer links in AI search and let UK publishers opt out

Key Points:

• The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has mandated Google to provide clearer attributions and links to publishers’ content in its AI-generated search features, and to offer publishers the ability to opt out of having their content used in these AI features.
• Google is prohibited from penalizing publishers who opt out, meaning opted-out publishers cannot be downranked in general search results, and must comply with these new rules within nine months, with parts of the controls expected to be available sooner.
• Google initially opposed the attribution and opt-out requirements, citing concerns over user experience and increased crawling costs, but has now introduced a new toggle in Search Console allowing UK website owners to control their content’s inclusion in generative AI features.
• The CMA requires Google to ensure transparency by clearly attributing AI-generated search content, providing publishers with trust and control, and publishing compliance reports detailing how it meets these obligations and measures factuality.
• The UK News Media Association praised the CMA’s decision as a significant move toward a fairer digital economy, emphasizing the need for robust enforcement to ensure premium content is respected and fairly compensated.