Google lets publishers opt out of AI search — but it has 3.5b users
google will let uk publishers opt out of ai overviews via a toggle, complying with cma rules. this concession protects publisher revenue as ai search traffic scales past 3.5 billion monthly users.
google launched a search console toggle allowing uk publishers to opt their sites out of ai-powered features like ai overviews and ai mode. this follows a cma mandate designating google's search dominance a strategic market status requiring guardrails for content aggregation. while opting out removes content from generative summaries, google clarified it won't penalize traditional search rankings and will provide new impression metrics to display visibility trade-offs. initially testing in the uk, the feature will roll out globally as regulators push for stronger negotiating power for news orgs.