The British regulator CMA has intervened to require Google to allow news publishers to decide whether their content appears in AI-generated summaries. The measure aims to protect the intellectual property of media outlets, although it does not solve the traffic decline or revenue loss they have already suffered due to algorithmic changes.
Technical details of the regulatory order 🛠️
Google will have to implement technical mechanisms so that publishers can tag their content and exclude it from AI summaries without penalizing their ranking in traditional search results. This involves modifying systems such as Google Search and SGE (Search Generative Experience). The CMA demands transparency in how data is used and that exclusion does not affect organic ranking, a significant technical challenge for the company.
The patch that doesn't cover the hole in the pocket 💸
The CMA has managed to get Google to give media outlets back the right to say no to AI, as if that were going to revive lost traffic. It's like a thief returning your empty wallet and apologizing. Publishers will be able to keep their intellectual property, but they will continue to see their revenues vanish while Google keeps the audience. A pyrrhic victory that doesn't pay the bills.