EU investigates Google over concerns content is unfairly demoted in
search results
[November 14, 2025] BRUSSELS
(AP) — European Union regulators said Thursday they’re investigating
whether Google is unfairly demoting some content from media publishers
in search results under a policy the company says is aimed at combating
scammers.
Brussels moved forward despite the risk of incurring the wrath of
President Donald Trump, who has lashed out at the 27-nation bloc’s
digital regulations and vowed to retaliate if American tech companies
are penalized.
The investigation could result in the latest multibillion-euro fine for
the U.S. digital giant from the European Commission, which is the bloc’s
highest antitrust enforcer.
“We are concerned that Google’s policies do not allow news publishers to
be treated in a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner in its
search results,” said Teresa Ribera, an executive vice-president at the
Commission.
“We will investigate to ensure that news publishers are not losing out
on important revenues at a difficult time for the industry, and to
ensure Google complies with the Digital Markets Act,” Ribera added,
referring to the bloc’s sweeping rulebook designed to stop tech
companies from monopolizing digital markets.
The commission, the EU’s executive branch, said it had received
indications that Google is demoting certain search results according to
its site reputation abuse policy.
But Google said the policy protects European users from “deceptive, low
quality content and scams” and “shady tactics” used to promote them so
that they show up in search results.
Pandu Nayak, chief scientist at Google Search, said in a blog post that
the company said it's trying to prevent spammers from abusing search
results by buying paid-for content on a publisher’s website to trick
readers into clicking on low-quality content.
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This is the Google logo on a building in New York, Oct. 27, 2025.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
 Nayak said the investigation was
misguided and without merit.
“Unfortunately, the investigation announced today into our anti-spam
efforts is entirely misguided and risks harming millions of European
users,” Google Search’s chief scientist, Pandu Nayak, said in a blog
post.
“If we allowed this behavior — letting sites use sketchy tactics to
boost their ranking, instead of investing in creating high-quality
content — it would enable bad actors to displace sites that don’t
use those spammy tactics, and it would degrade Search for everyone,”
Nayak said.
But the Commission said the policy hurts “a common and legitimate
way for publishers to monetize their websites and content” and could
violate the DMA’s rules requiring digital gatekeepers like Google to
treat other businesses fairly.
The EU drew outrage from Trump in September, when it fined Google
2.95 billion euro ($3.5 billion) for breaching the 27-nation bloc’s
competition rules by favoring its own digital advertising services.
It was the fourth time Brussels has sanctioned Google with a
multibillion-euro fine in an antitrust case, in a wider battle with
between the EU and Big Tech that dates back to 2017.
The EU’s new investigation must conclude within 12 months. It could
fine Google parent Alphabet 10% or more of annual global revenue.
The Commission said it could even dismantle and sell off parts of
its business.
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