As the world's largest search engine, Google is a frequent target of Europe's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to curb the power of Big Tech platforms. In July, the European Commission fined Google €460 million (approximately $543 million) for allegedly giving its own services preferential treatment in searches for travel and shopping. To avoid further penalties, Google has now rolled out changes to its search results in Europe.
Under the new system, Europeans searching for hotels or other travel services will see different results than users elsewhere. Previously, Google displayed sponsored links, booking recommendations, and price-comparison tools prominently, but those elements were often tied to Google's own business interests. The European Commission argued this created an uneven playing field for competitors.
Google's Nick Fox told Reuters that the changes comply with DMA requirements but come at a cost. "These changes degrade the user experience for Europeans, boosting online intermediaries at the expense of local businesses and removing helpful features people rely on every day," Fox said.
The company acknowledges that the revised results are less helpful for consumers but maintains it is following the law. The long-term impact of the changes on competition and user habits remains unclear.