FazTimes Media, Tech, 13 Nov: Europe and Silicon Valley have been circling each other warily for years now, but the European Union’s latest move against Google signals that the quiet détente is over—or maybe it never really existed. On Thursday, Brussels opened yet another formal investigation into the search giant, accusing it of quietly burying news publishers in its search rankings. What makes this round notable is the timing: Washington, under President Donald Trump, has been rattling sabers and warning allies not to go after American tech firms. And yet, the EU pushed ahead anyway.

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At the center of this new clash is a deceptively technical question: How does Google decide which news outlets show up where—and who gets pushed into the digital shadows? According to the European Commission, the answers may not be as neutral as Google claims.

A New Allegation: Publishers Being “Demoted”

EU antitrust regulators say they have reason to believe Google systematically downranks publishers when they post content that involves commercial partners—such as sponsored articles, branded collaborations, or advertorials. This type of content is extremely common in the modern media economy, especially as traditional revenue streams collapse. The Commission suspects Google’s policies may be “unfair, unreasonable, and discriminatory.”

“We are concerned that some publishers may be losing significant income because Google’s rules are not applied in a transparent or non-discriminatory way,” said Teresa Ribera, the EU’s antitrust chief, in unusually direct language. She emphasized that the investigation is also a way to safeguard media organizations during a painful financial period. Across Europe, many newsrooms have already been hollowed out by shrinking advertising budgets and the rise of video-first platforms.

The probe falls under the EU’s ambitious Digital Markets Act (DMA), which Brussels hopes will become the global benchmark for reining in Big Tech’s power.

Google Pushes Back Hard

Within hours, Google blasted the EU’s move, calling it “misguided,” “unsupported by evidence,” and fundamentally harmful to users. According to the company, its search policies are designed to prevent spam, manipulation, and low-quality content from polluting the results people rely on.

“This surprising new investigation risks rewarding bad actors and degrading the quality of search results,” wrote Pandu Nayak, Google Search’s chief scientist, in a blog post that carried an unmistakable tone of frustration.

Google’s argument is simple: publishers sometimes use their high rankings to sneak in commercial content disguised as journalism, and penalizing such behavior protects the public.

A Narrower Inquiry—But With High Stakes

The European Commission insists the probe is not an attack on Google’s anti-spam policies per se. Instead, it wants to know whether these policies are applied consistently—and whether the collateral damage includes legitimate publishers who are simply trying to keep their newsrooms alive.

Brussels believes Google’s enforcement affects a “common and legitimate” revenue model. But officials declined to name specific outlets or provide estimates of financial losses, saying only that the harm appears “material.”

Behind closed doors, EU officials describe a growing worry: Google’s algorithmic decisions, made in opaque ways and enforced at scale, may be shaping not just which news gets read, but which news organizations survive.

The Media Crisis Meets the Tech Monopoly Debate

This investigation arrives at a difficult moment for journalism. Advertising revenue across Europe has declined sharply while publishers scramble to compete with TikTok, YouTube, and a fragmenting attention economy. Sponsored articles—once considered mildly embarrassing—have become an essential lifeline.

If Google’s rules unexpectedly bury these pieces, even unintentionally, the consequences can ripple across an already fragile industry.

Meanwhile, Google maintains that allowing sponsored content to rank freely would invite a flood of manipulative material, degrading the reliability of search overall.

Trump’s Shadow Over the Investigation

The political backdrop is impossible to ignore. In September, Brussels hit Google with a €2.95 billion fine, prompting President Trump to threaten tariffs and warn of “retaliation” against countries targeting American tech companies. His comments shook diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic. Yet, despite the threats, the EU forged ahead.

European officials insist that the law—not geopolitics—governs their decisions. “We cannot allow threats to dictate enforcement,” one senior EU diplomat said privately. Still, the tension is real: Washington sees these actions as protectionist; Brussels sees them as essential for competition.

A Pattern of Scrutiny

This new probe is only the latest in a long chain of conflicts between Google and Brussels.

Earlier in 2024, the EU accused Google of:

Prioritizing its own services in search results
Limiting how app developers can direct users to cheaper offers outside the Google Play Store
Potentially abusing its dominance in digital advertising

These are investigations with teeth. Under the DMA, violations can trigger fines of up to 10 percent of a company’s global revenue—a number that could reach tens of billions. For repeat violations, penalties can double to 20 percent.

The Commission has given itself one year to finish the investigation. Officials will evaluate:

Whether Google unfairly downranks sponsored or partner-driven news
Whether publishers are properly informed about penalties
Whether Google’s algorithmic rules apply evenly across all outlets
And whether the company’s anti-spam policy is being used as a sweeping disciplinary tool

The outcome could reshape how journalism is monetized in Europe—and how search engines treat commercial content worldwide.

A Broader Battle for Digital Power

Behind the legal language, this story is really about control. For decades, Google has been the gateway to online information. Now, governments are increasingly asking whether one company should hold so much sway over what billions of people read, watch, and trust.

In many ways, this investigation is emblematic of Europe’s broader strategy: use regulation to create a digital market where even the largest American tech giants must play by local rules.

Google, for its part, argues that excessive regulation will break the ecosystem that makes the open internet work.

The next 12 months will reveal which vision prevails.

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