Google’s EU spam policy concessions, explained

What is not public is just as important: the available reports do not spell out whether Google would change ranking thresholds, create publisher exemptions, adjust penalties, add new review rights, alter appeals, or narrow enforcement. They also do not show that Google has offered to scrap the policy entirely.^{[1][2][20][21]}

What is “site reputation abuse”?

Google’s site reputation abuse policy targets the practice of publishing third-party pages on a host site in an attempt to exploit that host site’s search-ranking signals, a tactic commonly described as “parasite SEO.”^[2][14]

That explains why Google treats the rule as an anti-spam measure. The conflict is that publishers argue enforcement can also affect legitimate commercial arrangements, including partner or sponsored content that helps media businesses monetize their sites. The European Commission said its monitoring found indications that Google was demoting news media and other publishers’ websites and content in Search when those sites included content from commercial partners.^[18]

Why the EU opened a DMA case

Google Search is one of Alphabet’s designated core platform services under the Digital Markets Act.^[17] On November 13, 2025, the European Commission opened formal proceedings to assess whether Google applies fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory conditions of access to publishers’ websites on Google Search, as required under the DMA.^[18]

The Commission’s concern is not simply whether Google can fight spam. It is whether a gatekeeper platform can apply an anti-spam policy in a way that unfairly restricts publishers’ visibility, monetization, or ability to work with commercial partners.^[18] TechCrunch reported that the Commission said the policy appeared to directly affect a common and legitimate way for publishers to monetize their websites and content.^[7]

What Google reportedly offered

The strongest public description is limited: Google sent proposals to the European Commission to address DMA concerns, including changes to the site reputation abuse rules affecting how news publishers host third-party content.^[20] Reuters separately reported that Google offered to change the spam policy criticised by publishers, citing a Commission document seen by Reuters.^[1][2]

Some coverage characterizes the offer as a proposed change to news-search ranking or display.^[19][21] That may be directionally useful, but it still does not provide the actual remedy language or operational instructions publishers could follow.

What remains unknown

Several core details remain unresolved:

• The exact remedy text. The cited public reports describe a proposal, but they do not reproduce the full proposal or Commission document.^[1][2][20]
• The enforcement mechanics. There is no public detail in the cited reports on whether Google would change algorithmic signals, manual-action standards, penalties, review processes, or appeals.^[1][2]
• The scope of any publisher relief. The reports do not confirm whether any change would apply to all publishers, only EU publishers, only news publishers, or only certain types of third-party commercial content.^{[1][2][20][21]}
• Whether the Commission will accept the offer. Reports say the proposal could help Google avoid or head off a DMA fine, but they do not say the case has been settled.^[1][2][21]

What publishers and SEO teams should do now

Until Google or the European Commission publishes concrete remedy terms, publishers should avoid treating the reports as a new compliance safe harbor. The practical approach is to keep separating editorial content from commercial partner content clearly, document why third-party content exists on the site, and monitor whether Google or the Commission publishes formal guidance.

For search teams, the key distinction is between known policy risk and unknown remedy details. It is known that the EU is investigating whether Google’s application of the policy may demote publisher content that includes commercial partner material.^[18] It is not yet known exactly how Google proposes to change that application.^[1][2][20]

Why the outcome matters

If accepted, Google’s proposal could influence how anti-spam enforcement is balanced against publisher business models in EU Search. The stakes are high because The Next Web reported that failure to settle could expose Alphabet to penalties of up to 10% of global revenue under the DMA framework.^[21]

For now, the most accurate takeaway is narrow: Google has reportedly offered concessions on how its site reputation abuse spam policy affects publishers, likely connected to third-party commercial content and news-search treatment. The central caveat remains that the exact changes have not been publicly disclosed in the cited reports.