Google has told publishers it will develop controls allowing them to block their material from appearing in AI-generated search summaries while keeping pages visible in ordinary search results, a move that came within hours of a detailed proposal from Britain’s competition regulator. Industry groups and regulators said the timing underlines how the UK’s new digital markets regime is forcing rapid changes to the way major platforms handle third-party content. (Sources: [2],[3])

The CMA’s proposed conduct requirements, published earlier this week, would compel Google to offer publishers an explicit opt-out for AI features such as “AI Overviews”, require clearer attribution when content is used in AI responses, and impose rules on ranking, choice screens and data portability to lower switching costs across the market. According to the CMA, the measures are intended to give businesses more control and to strengthen competition in a market where Google handles the vast majority of general search queries. (Sources: [2],[5])

Publishers have argued that AI Overviews have hollowed out referral traffic by providing ready-made answers at the top of search pages, leaving fewer users clicking through to original reporting. Industry studies cited by trade commentators estimate click-through rates fall sharply when AI summaries appear, and publishers say existing opt-out tools either do not stop content appearing in Overviews or they carry the penalty of reduced visibility in conventional search. (Sources: [3],[6])

Google said it would explore updates to site controls that separate use in AI features from standard indexing, emphasising it wants to preserve “search helpfulness” while giving site operators more choice. The company framed the changes as work in progress rather than a final reversal, and warned regulators that poorly designed controls risk fragmenting or degrading user experience. (Sources: [2],[4])

For publishers the struggle is both commercial and legal. Press bodies welcomed Google’s announcement but described it as a response to regulatory pressure rather than voluntary concession. “Google’s announcement today is a welcome sign that the company is finally starting to listen to publishers, although only in response to sustained regulatory pressure. Publishers have spent too long being held hostage by Google’s decision to tie traditional search and AI search bots together, leaving publishers no choice but to relinquish valuable content for AI purposes that provide little return,” Danielle Coffey, President and CEO of News/Media Alliance, said in a statement. The alliance and others continue to press for equivalent protections in the United States. (Sources: [3],[2])

Regulators note technical shortcomings in present controls: robots directives and meta tags that aim to restrict AI use can also reduce a site’s organic search performance, and separate directives for different Google systems have left publishers uncertain which mechanism actually prevents content appearing in AI Overviews. The CMA highlighted internal research and market evidence showing significant traffic falls when publishers reduce the detail Google displays in search snippets, reinforcing the need for clearer, enforceable options. (Sources: [6],[4])

The CMA has opened a public consultation running until February 25, 2026, after which it will decide whether to finalise the conduct requirements. The outcome will determine whether Google’s promise to extend opt-out controls remains a market-specific accommodation or becomes the start of broader, enforceable rights for publishers in multiple jurisdictions. For now the debate centers on whether technical fixes and voluntary commitments can protect publishers’ revenue streams or whether regulatory mandates will be required to rebalance the market. (Sources: [2],[5])

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Source: Noah Wire Services