Jakarta, INTI - The European Union (EU) has proposed requiring Google to share key search data with the company’s competitors, including artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, as part of the EU's efforts to curb the dominance of major US tech companies. The European Commission (EC) has sent preliminary findings to Google outlining proposed measures to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), with final decisions scheduled for late July.
Under the proposed measures, Google should allow third-party search engines to access search rankings, queries, clicks, and views, allowing competitors to optimize their search services and challenge Google Search's leading position. If implemented, this policy could potentially open access to Google’s major AI competitors, such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
In response, Google’s Senior Competition Advisor, Clare Kelly, stated that the company will "continue to vigorously defend against this overreach," which it deemed a threat to people's privacy and security.
EU Deemed Google Prioritized Internal Services
Earlier in January, EU regulators announced to review Google's compliance with the DMA, specifically its obligation to provide access to search data, on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms. This pressure has escalated amid allegations that Google prioritizes its internal services in search results and restricts app developers from redirecting users outside the Play Store.
Furthermore, the company is under investigation for alleged unfair downgrading of certain news content. This wave of EU scrutiny risks adding to fines by €9.5 billion (approximately US$11.2 billion).
Conclusion
The European Union has proposed that Google share critical search data to competitors, including AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, under the Digital Markets Act. The move has drawn opposition from Google, which has called it a privacy risk and the potential for increased fines. A final decision is scheduled for July 27.
Read more: 108 Google Chrome Extensions are Suspected of Stealing 20 Thousand Users’ Data