EU pushes Google to share search data with third parties

The European Commission has proposed that Google share its search engine data with third parties.

The Commission announced that it has sent proposed measures to Google to ensure compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

According to the statement, Google should make information such as search rankings, user queries, click and impression data available to third-party search engines under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory conditions.

The measures aim to allow third-party search engines and AI-based chat applications with search functions to access this data, improve their services, and compete with Google Search’s strong market position. The statement noted that Google should share details on the scope of search data, tools, frequency, measures to anonymize personal data, processes governing access, and pricing parameters for the data.

The Commission also launched a public consultation to assess the effectiveness of the proposed measures, allowing stakeholders to submit feedback until May 1.

It added that the final decision will be shaped after evaluating feedback and Google’s response, with adoption expected by July 27.

Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, strict rules apply to major technology platforms.

In case of violations, companies can face fines of up to 10% of their global annual turnover.

The European Commission has already fined Google more than €9.7 billion since 2017 for breaching competition rules.