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2mo ago

UK Orders Google to Let Publishers Opt Out of AI Search and Supply Clear Attribution

The CMA said its rules will force Google to give publishers technical controls, detailed metrics and opt-outs so publishers regain bargaining power over how AI uses their content.

Attendees pose for photos before the keynote presentation at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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The Google logo is seen on the street in Krakow, Poland, on May 25, 2026.
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Overview

  • The Competition and Markets Authority issued the order on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, requiring Google to offer publishers tools to block their content from powering AI Overviews and other generative search features.
  • The rules force Google to provide clear links and source attribution in AI-generated results, plus publisher-facing metrics that show impressions and which pages are used in AI responses.
  • Publishers must be able to opt out of having their content used to fine-tune Google’s AI models and the CMA said Google may not downrank sites in traditional results for choosing to opt out.
  • Google is testing a new toggle and publisher insights in Search Console with a subset of UK sites and has nine months to implement the full package while filing compliance reports to the CMA every six months.
  • The order builds on Google’s October 2025 strategic market status under the UK’s digital markets regime and could shift how publishers negotiate licensing, affect referral traffic patterns, and prompt further regulator action if controls fail.