Google reportedly offers to tweak search results to avoid EU fine

With the intention to keep away from paying billions of {dollars} in fines for violating the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, Google is contemplating altering how search outcomes are displayed, Reuters reports. EU regulators first took issue with Google’s Search and Play Retailer companies in March 2025, claiming it favored its personal providers in search outcomes over third-party choices and prevented builders from informing clients of different methods of accessing apps.

Considered one of regulators important points with Google Search was that Google appeared to favor outcomes from providers like Google Flights or Google Accommodations over ones from “vertical search providers,” suppliers specializing in displaying search outcomes from a particular trade, like Expedia or Accommodations.com. To keep away from fines, Google now needs Search to offer VSS companies equal remedy in outcomes.

“We’ll create the chance for every VSS to point out its personal field on Search. A VSS field might be populated with outcomes from that VSS stock,” Google stated in a proposal seen by Reuters. Outcomes from Google’s personal providers will exist with the identical formatting alongside, and the profitable VSS field might be displayed in search outcomes based mostly on “goal and non-discriminatory standards.” Importantly, search outcomes from precise airways and automotive rental corporations will not be excluded, they’re going to additionally seem in a field “above or under the VSS field relying on the relevance to the consumer’s question.”

Engadget has requested Google to touch upon Reuters‘ report and to verify the small print of its proposed adjustments to Google Search. We’ll replace this text if we hear again.

Like Apple, Google faces vital scrutiny from the EU due to its monopolistic management over its varied platforms and providers. The specter of fines from the DMA has pressured Apple to open up its merchandise to third-party app stores, amongst a bunch of different adjustments. Clearly, Google is keen to tweak what as soon as appeared like untouchable pillars of its enterprise to keep away from fines, too. Whether or not these proposed adjustments might be sufficient for the regulators stays to be seen, although.