Google Will 'Degrade' Search In Europe to Avoid EU Fines

Google plans to modify its Search service in Europe to align with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which could lead to a downgrade in search quality for users on the continent. The company intends to prioritize comparison services like Expedia and Hotels.com over individual business websites in search results. This shift could diminish the user experience, favoring online intermediaries while harming local businesses and removing essential features that Europeans rely on regularly.

Google's senior vice-president of knowledge and information, Nick Fox, emphasized the potential negative impact on local businesses, stating that previous search modifications aimed at meeting DMA requirements resulted in a 30% drop in direct bookings for European businesses. The Digital Markets Act mandates major tech companies to refrain from favoring their own services over third-party ones in search rankings.

According to Reuters, Google's revised search results will feature one specialized search engine at the top, followed by two others with less information, and a carousel of hotels, airlines, and restaurants below, omitting real-time prices. The rankings will be determined by Google's algorithm, indicating that the company retains significant control over the displayed results.

The European Commission granted Google 60 days to comply with the DMA rules, but Google has yet to provide a specific timeline for implementing the changes in Europe.