Google has announced further changes to its search results in Europe in response to complaints from smaller competitors and looming EU antitrust charges under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The tech giant has faced criticism from price-comparison sites, hotels, and small retailers over a 30% drop in direct booking clicks caused by earlier search tweaks.
The DMA, introduced last year to curb Big Tech dominance, prohibits Google from favouring its services. To comply, Google plans to offer expanded and uniformly formatted options for users to choose between comparison sites and supplier websites, along with new ad formats and tools for competitors to display prices and images.
As part of a test in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia, Google will temporarily remove hotel location maps and associated results to assess user interest in a simpler “ten blue links” layout. While reluctant to cut features, Google says these measures aim to strike a balance between user needs and regulatory requirements.
The European Commission has been scrutinising Google since March, with DMA violations carrying potential fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue. Google’s compliance efforts reflect its attempt to navigate the demands of regulators and rival businesses while maintaining its services’ usability.