Google removes EU-based news content as part of ‘time-limited test’

Google has begun a “small, time-limited test” in eight countries to determine the impact of removing European Union-based news publishers from a user’s search results.

The “AB testing” applies to Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.

According to Google, around one per cent of users in those countries will not see EU-based news publishers in Google News, Search, and Discover for an undisclosed amount of time.

The remaining 99 per cent will not see a change to their search results concerning news publishers.

The idea behind the test is to provide data to regulators and publishers about the effect of seeing news content in search feeds on users’ habits, Google said.

The test was also intended for France, but it was blocked by a court order following a request from the French Union of Magazine Press Editors (SEPM).

The union argued that it was contrary to Google’s commitment to France’s competition authority to not impact the index, ranking, or presentation of protected content.

A Paris court ordered the test to be suspended or face fines of up to €900,000 per day pending a judge’s decision, according to a statement from the union.

“We are reviewing the court order and pausing the launch of the test in France for the time being,” a Google spokesperson told Euronews Next.

“We are very surprised by SEPM’s stance, considering they asked for this economic data in writing,” the spokesperson added.

Google added that the test was being carried out as part of its compliance with the European Copyright Directive (EUCD) and its licensing programme for EU news publishers.