In the era of artificial intelligence and digital competition, The European Union is busy fighting for a fair internet. On 13 November 2025, the European Commission announced an investigation against Google, accusing the company of "demoting" commercial content from the news media. This could be a critical moment for press publishers who are fighting to survive online.
What does Google accuse the EU of?
According to a statement from the European Commission, Google gives low priority to content created in cooperation with advertisers and sponsors on news media sites.As a result, such materials become virtually invisible in search results, resulting in a decrease in traffic and revenue for publishers. The investigation is based on the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a law governing competition in the technology sector which requires Google to apply fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions of access to publishers' websites.
Examples? Imagine a newspaper subpage offering discounts on Nike shoes or holidays – a standard commercial practice. However, according to the EU, Google algorithms can "hidden" such subdomains, making them unavailable to users. "We are afraid that Google policies do not allow news publishers to be treated in a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory way in search results," said Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of the European Commission for Clean, Fair and Competitive Transformation.
The investigation focuses exclusively on commercial content provided by third parties without touching the general indexing or reporting of news pages. The Commission plans to collect evidence from publishers on the impact of these practices on traffic and revenue.
Google Answer: "The investigation is unfounded"
Google did not remain passive.In its official communication, the company called the investigation "mistaken" and "unwarranted", arguing that their anti-spam policy is aimed at building "trusted results" and fighting "frauding pay-for-play tactics"that degrade the search quality. Google cites the decision of a German court that rejected similar allegations, considering politics as important, reasonable and consistently applied.
"The investigation announced today about our anti-spam efforts is wrong and threatens to harm millions of European users," says Google's blog.
Why is this important to the media?
The media industry faces huge challenges: from a fall in advertising revenue to threats from AI. The head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stressed in her message on the state of the Union that protecting traditional media from digital giants was crucial. If the EU proves the violations, Google can pay up to 20% of its global revenue – billions of euros.
For publishers, it's a chance to level the playing field. Partnerships with brands, such as promotions or sponsored content, are offline standard – why should online be punished? The investigation can force Google to change, which will improve visibility and monetisation for European media.
Impact on Small Publishers: Invisible in Google algorithms
Especially severe are these practices for small and new publishers, who often remain invisible in Google algorithms, favoring media giants. Webmasters and owners of small pages accuse the company of algorithmic suppression, leading to a decline in visibility and traffic, while large media corporations dominate the search results. Such discrimination hinders the development of independent votes on the network, exacerbating inequalities in access to audiences and advertising revenues.
Broader context: Fighting for Digital Justice
This is not the first EU to launch Google. Earlier penalties for anti-competitive practices in digital advertising (like EUR 2.95 billion in 2025) show that Brussels takes the regulation of tech-gigants seriously. DMA is a tool to ensure that platforms like Google do not abuse their dominant position.
What's next? Publishers will be delivering the loss data soon. If the investigation confirms the violations, it can open the door to changes in search algorithms not only in Europe but globally.For users? More variety of content, but also potentially more sponsored materials in the results.
In an era where information is currency, such investigations remind us that the Internet cannot be a wild sunset. Will Google give up or fight in courts? Follow the developments – this is a battle for the future of the media in the network.
