Google will be making some changes to its search engine to align with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).. The EU chose Google as a gatekeeper because of its power in the markets in which it participates, including search engines. Under the DMA rules, Google is required to treat competitors' services and products equally when ranking in search results, similar to how it treats its own products.
Therefore, Google has stated in its blog that “We will introduce special units that contain a group of links to comparison sites from across the web and query links at the top of the search page to help people refine their search and even focus results on comparison sites only. Comparison«. They have also set this for the hotel category.“We will begin testing a dedicated section for comparison sites and direct suppliers to display more detailed individual results, including images, star ratings and more.” These changes will lead to this Google Flight unit disappearsan independent service from the company that helps users find cheap flights.
In November 2021, the EU imposed a fine of 2.42 billion euros on Google for abuse of a dominant market position. This sanction was due to Google unfairly favoring its price comparison system to the detriment of competing options.
Other changes being made to comply with the DMA include:
- Additional consents for linked services: Data is currently shared between some Google products and services for certain purposes, including personalizing content and ads based on user preferences. One will be presented to European users in the coming weeks Additional consent banner to ask if they would like to allow some services to continue sharing data for these purposes. If the services are not linked, some functions may be limited or unavailable. Users have the ability to change their preferences at any time through their Google Account settings.
- Selection screens: With an Android phone, users have the ability to conveniently change their default search engine or browser. Under the DMA, we and other designated entities are required to submit additional options screens. These screens may be visible during initial setup on Android devices and also in the Chrome app on iOS and desktop devices.
- Data portability: For more than a decade, users have had the ability to download or transfer a copy of their data from more than 80 Google products. Investments in Google Takeout, the Data Transfer Initiative and data portability in general continued. To address new requirements related to transferring data to third-party applications or services, a data portability API for developers will be tested soon.
Finally, the company has expressed that it does not fully agree with the DMA as “The new rules involve difficult trade-offs and we fear that some of these rules will limit options for people and businesses in Europe«