The company will likely use the data in negotiations for EU-mandated payments to news publishers.
In a move that has stirred controversy across the media industry, Google recently concluded a “test” across eight European countries, claiming that news content has no significant monetary impact on its advertising business. The findings, as shared in a company blog post, suggest that news is an insignificant driver of Google’s ad revenue—a conclusion that is likely to shape future negotiations with news publishers under the European Copyright Directive (EUCD).
The Experiment: Testing News Visibility in Search Results
In November, Google launched an experiment in Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, where it removed EU-based news publisher content from its search results for a small subset of users. Initially, France was also included, but the company withdrew from the experiment there after a court ruling warned of potential legal consequences.
The results of the test, according to Google, showed no meaningful change in its advertising revenue. The company reported only a 0.8% drop in user engagement, which it described as “insignificant,” emphasizing that any decline in usage came from searches that generated little to no revenue. Paul Liu, Google’s Director of Economics, stated, “The results have now come in: European news content in Search has no measurable impact on ad revenue for Google.”
A Strategic Move Amidst Copyright Negotiations
While Google frames this test as a fact-finding mission to clarify the value of news in its ecosystem, industry observers believe the company is using the data to bolster its position in ongoing negotiations with European publishers. Under the EUCD, tech giants like Google are required to compensate publishers for using snippets of their articles—a regulation designed to ensure fair revenue distribution within the digital economy.
Google has long pushed back against such requirements, arguing that the value exchange is already balanced, with publishers benefiting from the traffic driven by its search engine. This experiment appears to be the latest maneuver in a broader strategy to weaken news outlets’ negotiating power by minimizing their perceived value to Google’s business model.
A Pattern of Resistance in Global Markets
Google’s stance on paying for news content is not new. The company has a history of leveraging its influence to resist such regulations in various markets. Similar battles have played out in Canada, California, and Australia, where Google has tested removing news content or threatened to withdraw its search services altogether.
The Australian case is particularly notable. When the government proposed a law requiring tech platforms to negotiate payment agreements with publishers, Google responded by threatening to remove its search engine from the country entirely. The response from then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison was firm: “Let me be clear. Australia makes our rules for things you can do in Australia.” Despite Google’s pushback, the legislation was passed, and Google ultimately struck deals with Australian media companies to license their content—proving that regulatory pressure can yield results.
The Road Ahead: European Nations Push Back
Google’s European experiment is unfolding against a backdrop of increasing regulatory scrutiny. France and Germany have been particularly vocal about the need for stricter oversight of tech giants’ dealings with news publishers. France has already imposed antitrust fines on Google over its news licensing tactics, and Germany is ramping up pressure to enforce compliance with copyright laws.
While Google may argue that news is of minimal value to its ad-driven business model, the broader implications of its experiment raise serious questions. News plays a vital role in an informed society, and regulatory bodies across Europe will likely scrutinize whether Google’s findings justify its reluctance to compensate publishers fairly.
The battle over digital news compensation is far from over. If history is any indication, regulatory bodies and publishers will continue to push for fairer revenue-sharing agreements—regardless of Google’s latest “experiment.”
