The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has imposed binding rules on Google’s search services in a move it calls a world first.
The UK’s competition regulator has formally required Google to let publishers opt out of having their content used to power AI features in search, including its AI Overviews product.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) imposed the conduct requirement today (3 June) under the UK’s digital markets competition regime, making it the first binding ruling of its kind to be issued against a major tech platform in the UK.
Following consultation feedback, publishers will also be able to opt out of their content being used for the fine-tuning of Google’s AI models, giving them control over the full range of AI use cases of their content. Google will also be required to attribute publisher content clearly, using links, in AI-generated search results.
The CMA said the requirement would put publishers, including news organisations, in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google.
