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Google Moves to Revise Spam Rules as EU Antitrust Pressure Mounts

By  |  May 7, 2026
Alphabet, Google, Wiz, acquisitions

Alphabet’s Google has proposed changes to a spam policy that has drawn criticism from publishers and triggered scrutiny from European Union regulators, according to a European Commission document seen by Reuters. The move could help the company avoid potential antitrust penalties under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act.

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    The U.S. technology company has been under investigation since November after publishers raised concerns over Google’s site reputation abuse policy, per Reuters. The policy is designed to target websites that publish third-party content in an effort to manipulate search rankings by benefiting from the host site’s existing authority, a tactic commonly referred to as parasite SEO.

    EU regulators, who are responsible for enforcing the Digital Markets Act, launched the probe as part of broader efforts to curb the influence of major technology firms. According to Reuters, Google has now submitted proposed adjustments to address the Commission’s concerns. Interested parties have been given until next week to provide feedback on the proposed changes.

    Google confirmed it is working with the European Commission as discussions continue.

    Related: Google, Microsoft, xAI Agree to US Government Oversight of New AI Models

    “Our priority is to keep Search results helpful and useful for users and protect them from deceptive practices like ‘parasite SEO’ spam that undermine the web,” a spokesperson said.

    The European Commission has argued that its monitoring indicates Google’s spam policy lowers the ranking of news publishers and other media websites in search results when those sites host content from commercial partners, according to Reuters. Regulators said the policy affects what they describe as a legitimate and widely used method for publishers to generate revenue from their websites and content.

    Under the Digital Markets Act, companies found in violation of the rules can face penalties of up to 10% of their global annual revenue, per Reuters.

    Source: Reuters