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Google ran a 3-month experiment in 8 EU countries, messing with 1% of users’ searches. They took out European news from search results to see how people acted and how it affected Google’s ad money.

Google says that their experiment showed news articles aren’t a big deal in searches and ads don’t show up with them much. They’re basically saying they don’t make much money from news, so why pay?

Publishers are calling BS. They say Google rigged the test to make news look less important. They argue that Google gets plenty of benefits from their news – keeping users on their site, collecting data, and making their services better – all without paying the news outlets.

Is Google Avoiding Paying Publishers? 

The main issue is about Article 15 of the EU Copyright Directive, which says that big tech companies have to pay publishers when their stuff shows up in search results or news aggregators.

But instead of paying normal fees, Google made its own licensing program called the Extended News Preview (ENP). More than 4,000 publishers in 20 EU countries have signed up, but critics say these deals aren’t transparent and are based on individual negotiations, which puts publishers in a bad spot.

Some experts think Google’s experiment was a strategic move. If they can prove that news content doesn’t really bring in much money, they could negotiate lower payments or even argue that they don’t have to pay at all.

“Google makes money not just from ads, but also by keeping users on their site, collecting data, and personalizing services. That’s a value they don’t want to acknowledge,” says Aurore Raoux from News Media Europe.

The AI Factor: A New Threat to News Publishers? 

Adding to the drama, AI is making things even worse. Big tech companies like Google, OpenAI, and Meta are using tons of online data, including news articles, to train their AI models – and they often don’t even ask publishers for permission.

Even though EU regulations say AI companies have to be upfront about where they get their data, publishers are saying that these rules aren’t being enforced properly. This lets tech companies use their content without paying them. Similar fights are happening in the U.S., where publishers are pushing for legal protections against AI-driven content scraping.

Without clear regulations, AI models could generate content based on journalists’ work while leaving publishers unpaid – a scenario that could reshape the media landscape entirely.

What’s at Stake for the Future of Journalism? 

The fight between Google and publishers isn’t just about copyright – it’s about how journalism gets paid in the digital age.

Traditional advertising money is drying up, and news organizations are struggling to stay alive. Meanwhile, tech giants like Google and Meta are running the online ad world, leaving publishers scrambling for other ways to make money, like subscriptions, sponsored content, or government help.

The EU’s copyright directive was meant to level the playing field, but Google’s recent moves suggest that enforcing these rules is easier said than done.

What’s Next?

Google says they’re playing by the EU’s rules and are working with publishers. But, groups like the European Publishers Council and News Media Europe want the European Commission to crack down and make sure Google pays up.

Experts are saying that the future of journalism depends on how tech platforms and news publishers get along. If publishers don’t get paid fairly for their work, it could make the media crisis even worse and people might not have access to good, reliable info.

So, what’s the verdict? Should Google have to pay for news, or is Google’s service already doing enough for publishers? The fight for the future of news isn’t over yet.

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