Sign in Subscribe
AI

Google faces EU antitrust complaint over AI Overviews feature

Independent publishers file formal complaint citing traffic losses and market abuse concerns.

Luis Rijo

• 5 min read
EU flag, Google logo, and judge's gavel illustrating antitrust complaint against AI Overviews feature
EU flag, Google logo, and judge's gavel illustrating antitrust complaint against AI Overviews feature

Independent publishers have filed a formal antitrust complaint with the European Commission on June 30, 2025, targeting Google's AI Overviews feature. The complaint alleges abuse of market power in online search and requests interim measures to prevent irreparable harm.

According to the Independent Publishers Alliance document seen by Reuters, "Google's core search engine service is misusing web content for Google's AI Overviews in Google Search, which have caused, and continue to cause, significant harm to publishers, including news publishers in the form of traffic, readership and revenue loss."

PPC Land Newsletter
CTA Image

Get the PPC Land newsletter ✉️ for more like this.

Subscribe

Summary

Who: Independent Publishers Alliance, Movement for an Open Web, and Foxglove Legal Community Interest Company filed the complaint against Google's AI Overviews feature.

What: Formal antitrust complaint alleging Google abuses market power by using publisher content for AI-generated summaries without providing opt-out options, causing traffic and revenue losses.

When: The complaint was filed on June 30, 2025, with the European Commission and UK Competition and Markets Authority.

Where: European Union and United Kingdom jurisdictions, targeting Google's AI Overviews feature operating in more than 100 countries globally.

Why: Publishers report significant traffic declines of 34.5% or more when AI Overviews appear in search results, while Google prevents opt-out without losing search visibility entirely.

Follow PPC Land on Google News

Google's AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that appear above traditional hyperlinks to relevant webpages. The feature operates in more than 100 countries and began incorporating advertisements in May 2024. The company positions these summaries at the top of search engine results pages using publisher material to generate content.

The complaint centers on publishers' inability to opt out from AI training and content crawling without losing visibility in Google's general search results. "Publishers using Google Search do not have the option to opt out from their material being ingested for Google's AI large language model training and/or from being crawled for summaries, without losing their ability to appear in Google's general search engine results page," the document states.

Traffic decline studies demonstrate measurable impacts on publisher revenue streams. Research from Ahrefs analyzed 300,000 keywords and found AI Overviews reduced organic clicks to top-ranking websites by 34.5% when comparing March 2024 data with March 2025 results.

The Movement for an Open Web and British non-profit Foxglove Legal Community Interest Company have joined as signatories to the complaint. Both organizations advocate for digital publishers and fairness in technology markets. The groups filed similar complaints with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, which confirmed receipt of the documentation.

"Independent news faces an existential threat: Google's AI Overviews," stated Foxglove co-executive director Rosa Curling. "That's why with this complaint, Foxglove and our partners are urging the European Commission, along with other regulators around the world, to take a stand and allow independent journalism to opt out."

The Independent Publishers Alliance describes itself as a nonprofit community advocating for independent publishers but does not publicly name its members. The organization's website focuses on industry advocacy and policy issues affecting smaller publishing companies.

Google defended its position by emphasizing traffic distribution benefits. "New AI experiences in Search enable people to ask even more questions, which creates new opportunities for content and businesses to be discovered," a Google spokesperson said. The company maintains it sends billions of clicks to websites daily through its search platform.

The spokesperson addressed publisher concerns about traffic measurement methodologies. "The reality is that sites can gain and lose traffic for a variety of reasons, including seasonal demand, interests of users, and regular algorithmic updates to Search," they explained. Google characterized numerous traffic claims as "often based on highly incomplete and skewed data."

Executive responses from Google leadership have consistently disputed studies showing significant traffic declines. Nick Fox, Google's VP of Search, defended AI features during a May 21, 2025 podcast interview, suggesting studies claiming traffic losses had questionable methodologies.

The timing proves significant as regulatory scrutiny intensifies across multiple jurisdictions. The United States Department of Justice has proposed that Google divest its advertising platforms AdX and DFP after a federal judge concluded the company illegally dominates two online advertising markets. Brazilian media organizations have similarly escalated pressure while traffic plummets amid new AI Mode rollout.

Research published by Tracy McDonald on February 4, 2025, examining approximately 10,000 keywords with informational intent, revealed similar patterns to the Ahrefs study. Additional analysis by Kevin Indig and Eric van Buskirk on May 12, 2025, tracked 70 users across eight search tasks and found that while 88% clicked "show more" to expand truncated AI Overviews, median scroll depth was just 30%.

The user behavior data indicates most searchers never view content beyond initial AI-generated summaries. When users do leave search results after viewing AI Overviews, social proof platforms including Reddit, YouTube, and community forums receive disproportionate click shares rather than traditional publisher websites.

Publishers across multiple regions report substantial organic traffic decreases. Some educational sites document losses exceeding 40% since AI Overviews expansion. Brazilian content creators face mounting evidence of traffic declines, with organizations including ANJ, Abert, Ajor, ABI and Reporters Without Borders requesting competition authority investigation.

The News Media Alliance president characterized Google's approach as fundamentally extractive. "Links were the last redeeming quality of search that gave publishers traffic and revenue. Now, Google takes content by force and uses it with no return, no economic return. That's the definition of theft," according to statements reported in industry coverage.

European Commission proceedings against Google regarding potential Digital Markets Act violations began in March 2025, specifically addressing AI Overviews integration. The designation of Google as a "gatekeeper" for its capacity to influence information access creates additional regulatory obligations. Article 19's Paula Guedes noted that with AI summaries, this power tends to intensify further.

The complaint echoes concerns raised in United States litigation. A U.S. edtech company filed a lawsuit alleging Google's AI Overviews erodes demand for original content and undermines publishers' ability to compete, resulting in decreased visitors and subscribers.

Marketing industry implications extend beyond immediate traffic concerns. Traditional SEO strategies require substantial revision as AI-mediated search reduces direct website visits. Publishers must consider diversified traffic acquisition strategies beyond Google search dependence. Content creators face dual optimization requirements for both AI consumption and human readability.

Google's infrastructure investment demonstrates commitment to AI integration despite mounting criticism. CEO Sundar Pichai revealed plans to spend $75 billion on artificial intelligence infrastructure in 2025, representing significant increase from $20 billion several years prior. The announcement came during the Bloomberg Tech Summit on June 5, 2025.

The expansion of AI Overviews and direct answer formats changes how brands appear in search results, potentially requiring new strategies for maintaining visibility when traditional organic search results become less prominent. Marketing professionals must adapt to interface changes while leveraging Google's AI-powered advertising tools to maintain campaign effectiveness.

Legal precedents from recent antitrust rulings could influence European Commission decision-making. Two federal judges have ruled that Google operates monopolies in search and advertising markets, leading to ongoing proceedings that could reshape the company's business model.

Industry analysts predict decisive shifts as AI reshapes marketing landscapes. Growth advisor Kevin Indig forecasts that ChatGPT could potentially overtake Google's search traffic by 2030, driven by user adoption patterns favoring AI-focused platforms for academic and research-oriented queries.

The European Commission and UK Competition and Markets Authority have not provided public statements regarding timeline expectations for complaint review processes. Interim measure requests typically receive expedited consideration when complainants demonstrate likelihood of irreparable harm.

Timeline