DMA Pressure Forces Google to Weaken Anti-Spam Policy

Google recently modified its site reputation abuse policy for users in the European Economic Area (EEA) in response to an investigation by the European Commission under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The policy was part of a broader set of anti-spam measures Google announced in 2024 to improve search results. However, it allowed Google to demote websites hosting low-quality third-party content designed to benefit from existing search rankings.

The Commission warned that this policy could affect how publishers monetize their websites and opened an investigation to determine whether the policy violated the DMA's requirement for transparent conditions to search rankings. The Commission's concern is notable because the policy was intended to prevent publishers from using search rankings to promote low-quality content, not restrict legitimate publishing or advertising.

Google's decision to change the policy matters to users, as weakening it could make it easier for low-quality third-party content to benefit from reputable websites' search rankings. This could make search results less useful and more susceptible to spam. The episode illustrates a broader risk of the DMA: rules intended to promote fairness and competition can sometimes constrain product features that companies introduced to improve their services.