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Google pledges to crack down on fake reviews after UK watchdog ... Google pledges to crack down on fake reviews after UK watchdog investigation By The Associated Press - | Jan 24, 2025 FILE - A man walks past Google's offices in London's Kings Cross area, on Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Melley, File) LONDON (AP) — Google pledged to crack down on fake online reviews with tougher punishments for rogue reviewers and businesses that try to profit from them, British regulators said Friday following an investigation. The Competition and Markets Authority said that Google has committed to “rigorous steps” to detect and remove sham reviews, so it can quickly identify and investigate businesses and reviewers trying to benefit from the phony posts. Google will delete all reviews written by people who repeatedly write fake or misleading reviews — either positive or negative — for U.K. businesses, the watchdog said. These reviewers will also be banned from posting new reviews, whether or not they’re in the U.K. Businesses that try to artificially boost their star ratings will also face consequences. Warning alerts will be slapped on their Google profiles, and new reviews will not be allowed…

🧠 Google has been ordered to add clearer links in its AI search results and provide a mechanism for UK publishers to opt out of having their content… 💬 Hacker News 🔗 https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/google-ordered-to-put-clearer-links-in-ai-search-and-let-uk-publishers-opt-out #AI #tech

What does the UK watchdog’s new Google AI results rule mean for publishers? <p>Giving news websites the power to block their content from being used in AI summaries will have global ramifications</p><p>The UK’s competition watchdog has ordered <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/03/uk-media-groups-power-opt-out-google-ai-search-summaries">Google to change how it uses publishers’ content in its AI-powered search results</a>, in a move that will have global ramifications.</p><p>The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is using powers that allow it to set <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/10/google-given-special-status-by-watchdog-that-could-force-it-to-change-uk-search">bespoke rules for major tech firms</a> that it deems to have “strategic market status”. Google, the world’s largest search engine, is one of those companies.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/03/what-does-uk-watchdog-new-google-ai-results-rule-means-publishers">Continue reading...</a>

UK regulator orders Google to make search rankings more transparent UK regulator orders Google to make search rankings more transparent Tech AI Sentiment: 35/100 Bearish This score is generated through AI-driven analysis of the article's content. Author Rivanshi Rakhrai Rivanshi R. Jun 17, 2026, 07:42 AM Generate Trading Ideas Generating powered by UK Search Data Portability — buy Data portability makes it easier for third parties to build products using UK Google search data (personalized offers, travel, shopping, rewards). Buy UK-listed aggregators/commerce enablers likely to benefit from new data-driven services—e.g., Experian (EXPN) for identity/data infrastructure and targeting, and/or Rightmove (RMV) as a beneficiary of more personalized lead-gen if search-data products emerge. Buy EXPN. Key Risk: Portability access is delayed, limited in practice, or too costly/uncertain for third parties to monetize quickly. Alphabet (GOOGL) — sell CMA forces “Fair Ranking” (objective, non-discriminatory criteria + advance notice + complaint process) and formal data portability. That raises compliance cost and limits Google’s ability to tweak ranking/AI features quickly, which can pressure…

UK orders Google to improve search transparency to boost competition LONDON (June 17): Britain's competition watchdog ordered Google to provide greater transparency on how its search rankings work, part of new rules aimed at securing a "fairer deal" for businesses and addressing concerns over the US tech giant's dominance in the sector. Google must rank organic search results using objective criteria, increase transparency around rankings, introduce clearer complaint processes, and allow users to transfer their search data to authorised third parties, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday. A Google spokesperson said it was committed to protecting the integrity of its systems and would work with the CMA, adding the company's ranking systems were "fair, transparent and show the most relevant, highest quality results". Google faces increasing regulatory scrutiny across the world, including in the United States and the European Union. The company in March said it was developing new search controls to address British competition concerns. The CMA had assigned "strategic market status" to Google, allowing it to set targeted rules to increase transparency. The…

UK orders Google to improve search transparency to boost competition FILE PHOTO: The Google logo is pictured at the entrance to the Google offices in London, Britain January 18, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) - ⁠Britain's competition watchdog ordered Google to provide greater transparency on how its search ⁠rankings work, part of new rules aimed at securing a "fairer deal" for businesses ‌and addressing concerns over the U.S. tech giant's dominance in the sector. Google must rank organic search results using objective criteria, increase transparency around rankings, introduce clearer complaint processes, and allow users to transfer their search data ​to authorised third parties, the Competition and Markets Authority said ⁠on Wednesday. A Google spokesperson said it ⁠was committed to protecting the integrity of its systems and would work with the CMA, ⁠adding ‌the company's ranking systems were "fair, transparent and show the most relevant, highest quality results". Google faces increasing regulatory scrutiny across the world, including in the United States ⁠and the European Union. The company in March said it ​was developing new search controls ‌to…

Google Ordered To Put Clearer Links In AI Search, Let UK Publishers Opt ... 183592262 story An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: UK regulators today ordered (PDF) Google to put clearer attributions and links to publishers' content in its AI-generated search features. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also said Google must give publishers a way to opt out of AI features in search . "In a world first, publishers will now have effective tools to prevent their content being used to power AI features in search, such as AI Overviews," the CMA said today . "This will put publishers, like news organizations, in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google. To boost consumer trust, Google is also now required to make sure that publisher content is properly attributed, using clear links, in AI-generated search results." The CMA ruled that Google may not penalize publishers for opting out of AI, meaning that Google can't downrank opted-out publishers in general search results. The CMA said Google will have nine months to comply with all requirements but that the agency "expects important parts of the controls to become available to publishers we…

Google ordered to put clearer links in AI search and let UK publishers ... The UK’s competition and market authority has ordered Google to improve attribution and links to publisher content in its AI-generated search features. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has also required Google to provide publishers with a way to opt out of participating in AI-driven search features. This will allow publishers, including news organizations, to negotiate content agreements with Google from a stronger position. Furthermore, Google must ensure that publisher content is properly attributed in AI-generated search results, using clear links. The CMA has ruled that Google cannot penalize publishers who choose not to participate in AI-driven search features, meaning it cannot reduce the ranking of publishers who opt out of general search results. Google has a nine-month deadline to meet all the requirements, but it is expected that the most significant controls will be available to publishers before the deadline expires. This news is significant because it could have a substantial impact on how publishers and search platforms interact in the future. Publishers’ ability to control how thei…

UK media groups given power to opt out of Google AI search summaries <p>Watchdog says ‘publishers will now have effective tools to prevent content being used to power AI features in search’</p><p>Publishers will be able to opt out of their content being used to train Google’s AI models and power its search summaries, the UK competition watchdog has announced as it imposes new conduct requirements on search services.</p><p>“Publishers will now have effective tools to prevent their content being used to power AI features in search, such as AI Overviews,” the Competition and Markets Authority said.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/03/uk-media-groups-power-opt-out-google-ai-search-summaries">Continue reading...</a>

UK Regulator Sets Out Conduct Requirements for Google's Search ... Britain's competition watchdog set out two conduct requirements for Google's search services under its regulatory regime to secure "a fairer deal" for businesses ⁠and improve Google ⁠search services in the country. The first requires Google ⁠to improve transparency and fairness in how search results are ranked, while the second requires Google to allow users to move their ⁠search ⁠data to authorized third parties, the Competition and Markets Authority said in a statement on Wednesday. The regulator has flagged concerns about Google's dominance in search, designating the company with "strategic market status", which allows it to set targeted rules to increase transparency. "These new measures will ensure search results are ranked fairly and objectively, with clearer information about changes and effective routes to raise concerns," ⁠Will ⁠Hayter, the CMA's Executive Director for Digital Markets, said in the statement. It builds on existing conduct requirements for Google announced by the regulator earlier this month which enable publishers to stop their content being used to power the company's AI features. On Wedne…

Google ordered to put clearer links in AI search and let UK publishers opt ... Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav UK regulators today ordered Google to put clearer attributions and links to publishers’ content in its AI-generated search features. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also said Google must give publishers a way to opt out of AI features in search. “In a world first, publishers will now have effective tools to prevent their content being used to power AI features in search, such as AI Overviews,” the CMA said today . “This will put publishers, like news organizations, in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google. To boost consumer trust, Google is also now required to make sure that publisher content is properly attributed, using clear links, in AI‑generated search results.” The CMA ruled that Google may not penalize publishers for opting out of AI, meaning that Google can’t downrank opted-out publishers in general search results. The CMA said Google will have nine months to comply with all requirements but that the agency “ex…

Brit competition cops order Google to make search rankings less mysterious PERSONAL TECH Brit competition cops order Google to make search rankings less mysterious New rules cover organic rankings, AI Overviews, and user-approved search data sharing Richard Speed Richard Speed Published wed 17 Jun 2026 // 12:01 UTC The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has imposed two new conduct requirements for Google's search services, to improve transparency and fairness in result rankings and allowing users to port their search data to third parties. The requirements follow the CMA's actions in early June that let publishers opt out of having their work appear in AI Overviews, while requiring attribution and clear links to sources. "More activity is expected over the summer," the regulator warned. The fair ranking requirement arises from complaints from UK businesses that Google's current approach is "neither fair nor transparent," as the web giant makes changes without sufficient notice and does not offer an easy way to complain. REG AD Google sees it differently. A spokesperson told The Register : "Our ranking systems are fair, transparent and show the most relevant, highest qual…

Google to Add Clearer Sources In AI Searches, Allow Sites to Opt ... - SFist Following a ruling from UK regulators, Google plans to allow website owners to opt out of appearing in AI searches, and it’s also agreed to add clearer attributions and links to sources in its AI overviews. Google announced it will begin testing a new Search Console setting that allows website owners to opt out of having their content used in AI-generated search features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, while remaining eligible to appear in traditional search results, as Engadget reports . The move follows a ruling by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority requiring the company to give publishers more control over how their content is used in AI products. According to Ars Technica , the CMA also ordered Google to provide clearer attribution and links to publishers within AI-generated search results and barred the company from penalizing sites that choose to opt out. The agency said the changes are intended to give publishers, particularly news organizations, greater leverage over how their content is used, amid complaints that AI summaries have reduced referral traffic and advertising revenue. The di…