Google is giving website owners the ability to opt out of having their content appear in AI-powered search features, the company announced today. It's a notable concession from the search giant, which has faced mounting pressure from publishers and European regulators over declining traffic and AI search tools."[We're] actively listening to feedback from publishers and creators, and engaging with regulators like the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority to ensure website owners have the right tools as user preferences evolve, reads a Google blog post. "Today, we're beginning to test a new control that lets website owners manage how their links and content appear in generative AI Search features."According to the blog post, a new toggle in Google Search Console will let site owners control whether their content appears in AI Overviews, AI Mode, and AI Overviews in Google Discover. Site owners who opt out won't have their content used to inform AI responses, but they also won't receive any traffic or impressions from those features. Google was also explicit that the opt-out will not affect how sites rank in traditional search results.
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The company is also rolling out new Search Console insights that show publishers how their pages are performing in AI search features, including impression data and which pages are surfacing in AI responses and in which countries. Both the opt-out control and the new analytics are launching first to a subset of UK website owners before a broader global rollout.
