EU regulators have opened a formal inquiry into whether Google unfairly demotes news publisher content in search results under its site reputation and anti-spam policies, a move tied to broader DMA scrutiny of gatekeepers.

The Digital Markets Act framework could face penalties up to 10% of global turnover for non-compliance, with some descriptions noting a possible 20% cap if systematic violations are proven.

Google defends its policies as anti-fraud and parasite SEO protection, arguing that relaxing them would harm European users and legitimate publishers.

Commission officials indicate the probe focuses on third-party commercial content and sub-domain demotions rather than the overall indexing of newspapers.

Evidence cited suggests that a newspaper’s commercial sub-domain could be downgraded to near invisibility in search results, raising concerns about advertiser partnerships and legitimate promotions.

The EU context emphasizes media funding, AI, and democracy protections, with high-level remarks from leaders highlighting the stakes for traditional media.

Observers expect the DMA to address discriminatory practices in digital platforms, despite potential pushback from the United States over cross-border regulatory actions.

The framing centers on how search rankings and promotional content affect visibility and revenue for news outlets.

The broader geostrategic backdrop includes US-EU frictions over digital regulation and threats of retaliation against American tech firms.

Separately, Brussels announced a broader effort like the European Centre for Democratic Resilience to combat digital threats and coordinate democracy protection, including fact-checking and influencer engagement.

Google News is not considered a DMA gatekeeper in this context due to its limited reach and its lack of market power to control traffic.