German Publisher Files EU Antitrust Complaint Over Google’s Search Policy

German media company Meraki Group GmbH has formally lodged a complaint with the European Commission, urging regulatory intervention over Google’s recent policy targeting certain search engine optimization practices. The move adds to growing concerns among European media outlets about the impact of the tech giant’s algorithm changes on web traffic and revenue, according to Reuters.

The complaint focuses on Google’s “site reputation abuse” policy, which was introduced in March 2024 and aims to curb so-called “parasite SEO.” This practice involves third-party content being hosted on high-ranking domains to exploit their search authority and gain better visibility in search results. Google began enforcing this policy more strictly earlier this year, drawing backlash from a range of publishers across the EU.

Per Reuters, Meraki Group alleges that the policy unfairly penalizes legitimate publishers and content providers. The company argues that Google’s actions harm not only individual websites but also the broader digital ecosystem by concentrating power in Google’s hands. The complaint calls for immediate intervention by EU antitrust regulators to address what it describes as anti-competitive behavior.

Meraki’s complaint is aligned with a broader coalition of European publishing bodies, including the European Publishers Council, the European Newspaper Publishers Association, and the European Magazine Media Association. In a joint letter to the European Commission, these groups criticized Google for allegedly favoring its own services in search results while undermining those of competing content providers.

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“Google continues to unilaterally set the rules of doing business online in its own favour, preferencing its own commercial offerings and depriving competing service providers of any visibility. It is time to put an effective end to this,” said Thomas Hoppner, legal counsel for Meraki Group.

The publishing associations report that media outlets in countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain have experienced significant declines in their search rankings since the policy began being enforced in January. They claim that Google’s manual penalty system lacks transparency and is applied inconsistently, further exacerbating the negative impact on publishers’ digital visibility and revenue streams.

Google, however, defended its position, stating that the policy was created in response to concerns from users. A spokesperson said the company aims to enhance the quality of search results by addressing practices that lead to poor user experiences. “We enforce our spam policies through a careful review process, which includes a well-defined reconsideration process for affected site owners,” the spokesperson noted.

The European Commission, which functions as the primary competition authority for the 27-member bloc, has yet to issue an official response despite multiple inquiries.

Source: Reuters