Google's search rankings under the radar

The European Commission has announced the launch of an investigation to examine whether Google is complying with its obligations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This investigation aims to assess whether Google provides fair and impartial access to publishers' websites in its search engine results.

In its statement, the Commission noted that there are findings suggesting that, under its "site reputation abuse policy," Google is placing content from news sites and other publishers that host content from commercial partners lower in search results. The investigation is focusing specifically on how this policy is applied to publishers.

Furthermore, the impact of these ranking policies by Google on publishers' freedom to conduct business, innovation, and their capacity to collaborate with third-party content providers will also be investigated. Large digital platforms operating in Europe are required to comply with the EU's strict technology regulations, and platforms that violate these rules face heavy fines.