A Paris court ordered Google on Wednesday (Nov 13) to suspend a project that allegedly aimed at limiting the visibility of certain news articles in search results.

The order has been issued in response to a request from SEPM, a union representing magazine staff in France. The union alleged that Google planned to start a scheme that would exclude some articles from publishers involved in a dispute over rights for the use of online news content.

<h2>A time-limited experiment</h2>

Google, as per news agency AFP, described the project as a “time-limited experiment” intended to assess how European publishers' content affects user experience on search engines.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trans-monkeys-cats-on-treadmills-and-more-everything-doge-might-go-after-to-cut-expenses-776014">Trans monkeys, cats on treadmills and more: Everything DOGE might go after to cut expenses</a>

In recent years, tech giants like Google have faced increasing pressure to compensate news providers for their content, which is displayed in search results. To address these concerns, the European Union introduced a form of copyright legislation, called the “neighbouring rights” legislation, giving media outlets the right to demand compensation for content used online.

<h2>SEPM welcomes decision</h2>

France, where Google and SEPM have been in long-running negotiations, has been a testing ground for these rules. After initially resisting, both Google and Facebook have since agreed to pay some French media companies. However, the Paris court’s latest order asks Google “to not proceed to test” its scheme, or risk a potential fine of “300,000 euros each”.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bitcoin-tops-93000-as-investors-react-to-election-and-inflation-data-776011">Bitcoin tops $93,000 as investors react to election and inflation data</a>

The SEPM union, representing around 80 media groups, welcomed the ruling, claiming it would “preserve the interests of the French press”. Google, however, expressed surprise at SEPM’s opposition, arguing that the project aimed to gather data because “independent administrative authorities and press publishers have asked us for more information on the impact of the display of news content in our search engine.”

Earlier this year, France’s competition authority fined Google €250 million ($263 million) for failing to meet specific commitments regarding neighbouring rights. Google is not alone in these disputes; social media platform X (formerly Twitter) also faces lawsuits from French publishers like Le Monde and Le Figaro over similar payment issues.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Paris court ordered Google on Wednesday (Nov 13) to suspend a project that allegedly aimed at limiting the visibility of certain news articles in search results.

A Paris court ordered Google on Wednesday (Nov 13) to suspend a project that allegedly aimed at limiting the visibility of certain news articles in search results. The order has been issued in response to a request from SEPM, a union representing magazine staff in France. The union alleged that Google planned to start a scheme that would exclude some articles from publishers involved in a dispute over rights for the use of online news content. A time-limited experiment Google, as per news agency AFP, described the project as a “time-limited experiment” intended to assess how European publishers' content affects user experience on search engines. Also read | Trans monkeys, cats on treadmills and more: Everything DOGE might go after to cut expenses In recent years, tech giants like Google have faced increasing pressure to compensate news providers for their content, which is displayed in search results. To address these concerns, the European Union introduced a form of copyright legislation, called the “neighbouring rights” legislation, giving media outlets the right to demand compensation for content used online. SEPM welcomes decision France, where Google and SEPM have been in long-running negotiations, has been a testing ground for these rules. After initially resisting, both Google and Facebook have since agreed to pay some French media companies. However, the Paris court’s latest order asks Google “to not proceed to test” its scheme, or risk a potential fine of “300,000 euros each”. Also read | Bitcoin tops $93,000 as investors react to election and inflation data The SEPM union, representing around 80 media groups, welcomed the ruling, claiming it would “preserve the interests of the French press”. Google, however, expressed surprise at SEPM’s opposition, arguing that the project aimed to gather data because “independent administrative authorities and press publishers have asked us for more information on the impact of the display of news content in our search engine.” Earlier this year, France’s competition authority fined Google €250 million ($263 million) for failing to meet specific commitments regarding neighbouring rights. Google is not alone in these disputes; social media platform X (formerly Twitter) also faces lawsuits from French publishers like Le Monde and Le Figaro over similar payment issues. (With inputs from agencies)

France court orders Google to suspend project restricting news content in search results

Tech giant Google on Friday sparked a row of criticism recently as it experimented with the search result design. As part of their mid-January desktop redesign, the company blurred the line between ads and search results and made paid links look like unpaid results.

Typically, the word "Ad" appears in the bold text next to the advertisements. They are listed first when a user searches something, therefore more likely to be clicked on and generate ad revenue for Google.

After the row, the company on Friday said that it is going redesign the search result change for desktops.

The latest report comes as Google was fined $167 million by France recently for unclear advertising linked to web searches and resorting to anti-competitive behaviour.

In December, &nbsp;the French authority asked Google to clarify the operating rules of its Google Ads advertising platform and the procedures for suspending the accounts of certain advertisers.

The competition body also sought clear rules from Google and said that it could not be applied in "an erratic way".

In March 2019, the European Commission had fined Google $1.7 billion for blocking rival online search advertisers. The European Commission had said that the anti-competitive practice had lasted a decade.

Tech giant Google on Friday sparked a row of criticism recently as it experimented with the search result design. As part of their mid-January desktop redesign, the company blurred the line between ads and search results and made paid links look like unpaid results.

Tech giant Google on Friday sparked a row of criticism recently as it experimented with the search result design. As part of their mid-January desktop redesign, the company blurred the line between ads and search results and made paid links look like unpaid results. Typically, the word "Ad" appears in the bold text next to the advertisements. They are listed first when a user searches something, therefore more likely to be clicked on and generate ad revenue for Google. After the row, the company on Friday said that it is going redesign the search result change for desktops. The latest report comes as Google was fined $167 million by France recently for unclear advertising linked to web searches and resorting to anti-competitive behaviour. In December, the French authority asked Google to clarify the operating rules of its Google Ads advertising platform and the procedures for suspending the accounts of certain advertisers. The competition body also sought clear rules from Google and said that it could not be applied in "an erratic way". In March 2019, the European Commission had fined Google $1.7 billion for blocking rival online search advertisers. The European Commission had said that the anti-competitive practice had lasted a decade.

Google sparks criticism as it redesigns search page; makes ads look like organic results

google-search-results

Google Search Results, News on Google Search Results, stories on Google Search Results, articles on Google Search Results, Google Search Results stories at Wion, Google Search Results news, Google Search Results latest news

google search-results

France court orders Google to suspend project restricting news content in search results

Google sparks criticism as it redesigns search page; makes ads look like organic results