Google Faces Legal Pressure in Europe and UK Over AI Search Features

Independent media groups across the UK and EU are raising concerns about how Google’s AI-generated search summaries—known as AI Overviews—are utilizing their content without consent. These organizations argue that Google is drawing from their original reporting to power AI answers, while offering no realistic way to opt out without disappearing from search results entirely.

Growing Backlash from Publishers and SEO Experts

For many publishers and digital marketers, Google’s latest AI integration represents a tipping point. While Google maintains that its AI-enhanced search increases traffic to websites, critics argue that it significantly reduces the number of users clicking through to original sources. The change is perceived by some as undermining both visibility and revenue for content creators.

Legal Complaints in Multiple Jurisdictions

In response, formal complaints have been filed in both the UK and the European Union. In Brussels, an antitrust case has been initiated, focusing on the potential misuse of third-party content in AI-generated summaries within Google Search. Meanwhile, in the UK, advocacy groups such as the Movement for an Open Web have submitted a legal complaint to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), emphasizing that local news providers are already experiencing detrimental effects.

Call for Regulatory Action

The heart of the issue lies in the lack of meaningful choice for publishers. If they want to keep their content out of Google’s AI systems, they must also forfeit visibility in the standard search results. Critics are calling for regulations that would give content creators more control over how their material is used in automated systems, especially when it comes to summarization and AI responses.

Some regulators, including authorities in the United States and South Africa, have already suggested similar protective measures. Advocacy organizations in the UK are urging the CMA to consider immediate steps to prevent further harm while longer-term investigations are conducted.

Broader Implications for the Open Web

This growing legal and ethical debate signals broader concerns about how tech giants handle content ownership in the AI era. At stake is the balance between innovation in search technology and the sustainability of independent journalism. If left unresolved, some fear that the open web—and the diversity of voices it supports—could be diminished.