Google is launching a test in Europe to remove media links from search results, starting tomorrow. This trial, which will last several weeks, affects traditional search results, Google News, and Discover for users in various European countries, excluding Germany. The goal is to evaluate the value of press publications and gather data for publishers and regulators. The experiment aligns with the 2019 European copyright directive and involves a random 1% sample of users to analyze the impact on engagement with news content.
Google’s Upcoming Media Removal Test in Europe
The announcement regarding Google’s new testing phase was initially slated for November 14, but has been pre-emptively disclosed by La Correspondance de la presse and Emmanuel Parody, Secretary General of the Group of Online Content and Service Publishers (Geste). Starting tomorrow, Google will initiate a trial where media links will be removed from its search results across Europe.
Details of the Experiment
This experiment will span an undefined period, likely extending for several weeks. During this time, users will no longer see links to press publications in their search results, although they can still access these media outlets by entering their URLs directly in a browser.
The scope of the test includes traditional Google search results, the News section, and the Discover feature, which curates content based on individual user preferences. These three platforms serve as primary traffic sources for various media organizations.
The trial will impact multiple European nations, including France, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland, as reported by La Correspondance de la presse. Notably, Germany is excluded from this group of major countries. After the testing phase concludes, search results will revert to their original format.
It’s crucial to highlight that this test is exclusively focused on European media, leaving international press outlets from countries such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the UK unaffected. These sources will remain available on Discover, Google News, and through standard search queries.
This A/B test will involve 1% of internet users from the aforementioned European countries, selected at random. A control group, also comprising 1% of users, will be maintained to assess behavioral differences between both groups.
According to La Correspondance de la presse, the aim of this initiative is for Google to accurately gauge the direct and indirect value of press publication content, providing reliable data for publishers and regulatory authorities alike.
In light of the European copyright directive established in 2019, which aims to secure a portion of online platform revenues for media outlets, this experiment aligns with ongoing discussions about the reuse of editorial content and audience growth.
Google is particularly attentive to the implications of this directive. The company argues that it needs to gather additional insights into how news content affects user engagement with its services, hence the rationale for this test.
This initiative is not a unilateral move by Google but rather a response to a unique regulatory environment and requests from independent authorities and media publishers. The company assures stakeholders that it will implement measures to mitigate any potential declines in revenue during this testing period.
Through this A/B testing framework, Google seeks to better understand the influence of news articles within its services and their overall significance, potentially informing future adjustments to its offerings.