The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has introduced a landmark requirement that will give publishers greater control over how their content is used in Google Search, particularly
in AI-generated features.
The move, announced on 3 June, marks the first conduct requirement imposed under the UK’s new digital markets competition regime and follows Google’s designation as having Strategic Market Status (SMS) in general search services.
Under the new rules, publishers will be able to prevent their content from being used to power AI-driven search tools such as AI Overviews — a world-first measure aimed at strengthening publishers’ bargaining power in negotiations with Google. News organisations and other content creators will also gain the ability to opt out of their content being used to fine-tune Google’s AI models.
The CMA said the changes are designed to create a fairer exchange of value between Google and content publishers while increasing transparency for users. Google will now be required to provide clear attribution and links to publisher content when it appears in AI-generated search results.
The regulator’s intervention comes as Google accelerates the integration of artificial intelligence across its search platform. Recent changes announced by the company could significantly alter how search results are presented to UK users, prompting concerns about the impact on publishers whose content underpins many AI-generated responses.
CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell described the requirement as a “world-first” measure that promotes fairness, transparency and meaningful choice for both businesses and consumers.
“With features like AI Overviews rapidly reshaping online search, it is crucial that content publishers, including news organisations, have appropriate bargaining power over how their content is used,” Cardell said.
She added that the regulator would continue to monitor Google’s evolving search products and could introduce further measures if necessary to ensure publishers receive fair value for their content.
Google will have up to nine months to fully implement the changes, although the CMA expects key publisher controls to be introduced earlier. The company will also be required to publish regular compliance reports detailing the steps it has taken to meet the new obligations.
The announcement represents one of the first major applications of the UK’s digital markets regime, which came into force last year. The CMA is currently conducting strategic market investigations into several major technology firms, including Google, Apple and Microsoft, as part of its broader effort to increase competition and accountability in digital markets. Photo by brionv, Wikimedia commons.
