Google Rolls Back Anti-Spam Policy in EU Amid DMA Probe

Google has withdrawn part of its anti-spam policy for search results in Europe, halting manual demotions of websites in the European Union’s 27 member states, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein as of 30 August. The move aims to address concerns raised by the European Commission and avert potential penalties under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Background of the “Reputation Abuse” Policy

The contested policy—termed “reputation abuse”—targeted pages or content published by third parties on high-ranking websites, with the intent of leveraging the host site’s search signals to boost visibility of that external material. This practice is known as “parasite SEO.” Publishers had lodged complaints, arguing the policy disproportionately affected news organizations and other commercial users of Google Search when their sites hosted content from business partners.

Commission Findings and Regulatory Action

European Commission monitoring found that Google’s enforcement of the policy led to lower search rankings for news outlets and other publishers whose sites featured third-party content. In response, the Commission launched a formal investigation under the DMA, legislation designed to curb the dominance of large tech firms and foster fairer competition in digital markets.

Scope and Limitations of the Rollback

Under the revised approach, Google will no longer apply manual ranking demotions to websites accessed by users in the EU, EEA, and Liechtenstein. However, the company confirmed the policy remains fully in force outside the European Economic Area, without modification.

Commission Response and Ongoing Oversight

The European Commission welcomed Google’s decision, stating the prior policy imposed unjust penalties on publishers and other business users of Google Search. It emphasized that the change means Google will no longer downgrade news organizations’ search rankings solely because they host third-party content. The Commission added it will continue monitoring Google’s implementation of the updated policy to ensure full compliance with the DMA.

Financial Stakes for Google

Violations of the DMA can trigger fines of up to 10% of a company’s total worldwide annual revenue. Given the scale of Google’s operations in Europe, the policy adjustment represents a significant step to avoid substantial financial liability under the regulation.