The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that publishers and news organisations in the United Kingdom can now prevent their content from being used in Google’s AI-generated search summaries, such as AI Overviews. The change is intended to strengthen publishers’ bargaining position with Google and give businesses and consumers more choice over how content appears in AI-powered search features.
Background to the move
Many media organisations have complained that click-through rates to their websites — and thus revenues — have dropped significantly since Google started placing AI-generated summaries at the top of search results. Users often read those summaries instead of clicking through to the original articles. Until now, publishers could not opt out of AI summaries while remaining visible in traditional search results, a situation the CMA tied to Google’s market dominance.
The CMA made the ruling under the UK’s regulatory framework for digital markets, after designating Google a strategic market status firm in general search services. Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said AI overviews are reshaping online search and that it is essential publishers, including news organisations, have appropriate leverage over the use of their content. The watchdog first raised the possibility of opting out of AI search summaries in January.
How Google will implement the control
Google will begin testing a new control with a group of UK publisher websites from Wednesday. The tool will allow site owners to regulate how their content appears in AI-powered search features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode. Google plans to roll the option out globally after the trial period.
The new setting applies only to generative AI features and does not affect traditional search ranking. Google must also ensure publishers’ content is clearly labelled on AI-supported results pages, with explicit references to the original sources.
Why the change matters
According to the CMA, Google handles more than 90 percent of general searches in the United Kingdom, meaning UK publishers and news providers are heavily reliant on traffic generated by the search engine. The News Media Association called the CMA’s decision a milestone toward fairer competition.
Tom Lewis, a competition lawyer at Geradin Partners and a former CMA director, described Google’s plan to offer the control globally as a “huge win” for publishers. The CMA said it will announce further actions in the coming weeks as part of its investigations into Google’s search business.
Google’s response
In a blog post, Google said it is actively listening to feedback from publishers and creators and is working with regulators, including the CMA, to provide site owners with appropriate tools as user preferences change. The company has already begun testing opt-out tools with UK partners and cautioned that separating traditional search from AI-powered search is technically complex. Google also stated that, if implemented properly, AI overviews can increase rather than decrease traffic to publishers’ sites.
Next steps
The CMA indicated further announcements and measures are forthcoming in the weeks ahead. The current change is targeted at the UK market, but Google has said it intends to expand the option globally after testing.
