Alongside a possibly related announcement from Google comes a Google Search Publisher Conduct Requirement from the UK Competition and Markets Authority. Google’s strategic market status means it must now comply with new laws which include choice, transparency and attribution. Google is required to submit a comprehensive compliance implementation plan within the first month.
Expect to see a statement from Google UK soon but for the time being, here’s what you need to know about the new Google Search Publisher Conduct Requirement in the UK and how it could affect AI search data for publishers.
The rules target the use of web-published content for use in search results and are, globally, unique.
- The requirements apply to both training and grounding operations.
- Directory and page-level opt-out controls are required.
- Google may not pay a third party to circumvent these rules.
- Google must deliver documentation explaining how publisher content is used and attributed.
- Google must deliver metrics.
- Any content that is shown to UK users is covered, even if it is hosted somewhere else.
- Stakeholders’ recommendations that Google use separate crawlers for AI data gathering was rejected
If you look at the announcement you’ll also find interpretations relating to data which suggest:
- User impression data on search generative AI output including attribution
- User engagement data
- Click-through rates
- Dissagregated data
- Data should be made through a “commonly accessible platform, such as Google Search Console.”
In possibly related news, Google announced new controls and performance reports for AI.
This is a huge win for publishers in the UK and will be watched very closely by publishers and policy makers around the world. Google has 9 months to comply.
I asked some media search experts their response to the news.
“Google is introducing AI citation data in search console, which is a clear reaction to the CMA’s conduct requirement. Notably absent from these AI search console reports is the clicks metric, which is part of every other performance report in search console. The absence of that data is quite telling.” – Barry Adams
“Whilst it is obviously encouraging to see the work we have supported the CMA in doing come to fruition, it can’t end here.
Publishers and SEOs need more than impression led data for AI surfaces and an ability to opt out of AIOs We need responsible actors and actions here to create a more sustainable ecosystem.
One that includes click data and gives publishers appropriate leverage. Not Google.” Harry Clarkson-Bennett
There are plenty of follow-up questions here and I look forward to hearing opinions by search marketers in the UK.
- Is the Google announcement of GEO data in Search Console related in any way?
- Will the data leak into reports that all SEOs can benefit from?
- Is it too late?
I’ll update here if anything important is published.
