UK Proposes Google AI Opt-Out for Publishers

London: Britain’s competition regulator has proposed allowing websites to opt out of having their content used by Google’s AI Overviews feature as part of ongoing efforts to curb the tech giant’s dominance in online search. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced the proposal on Wednesday, which is open for consultation until February 25. The measure follows Google’s designation as a “strategic market status” company last year, placing it under special regulatory obligations.

CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said the move would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google’s search services, while ensuring a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organizations. Under the proposals, publishers could opt out of having their content used to power AI features like AI Overviews or to train AI models outside Google Search, and Google would be required to ensure proper attribution for publisher content in AI-generated results.

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UK media outlets have criticized AI tools for using their content without compensation, arguing that AI-generated summaries reduce traffic to their original pages and cut advertising revenue. Google, whose search engine handles over 90 percent of online queries in the UK, said it is exploring updates to allow sites to opt out of AI features, while stressing that any changes must avoid fragmenting the search experience. The CMA also proposed measures to make it easier for users to change default search engines and ensure fair ranking of results. The UK’s stricter regulations are modeled on the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which applies to tech giants including Apple, Google, and Meta.