The opening of formal proceedings against Google marks a turning point for the Digital Markets Act. Since its entry into force, the text remains perceived as a promising framework, but still very theoretical. By targeting the way in which Google applies its “site reputation abuse policy” in Search rankings, the European Commission is tackling for the first time an internal mechanism of the search engine and its direct economic effects on publishers.
At the heart of the matter, the automatic demotion of content affiliated with commercial partners could prevent publishers from monetizing even legitimate formats. This technical question questions the capacity of the DMA to regulate platforms whose algorithmic architecture influences the visibility, audience and financing of a significant part of the European digital economy.
Teresa Ribera recalls that the procedure aims to ensure that publishers are not penalized in a moment of tension for the industry. Henna Virkkunen insists on the protection of pluralism and democracy, stressing that equitable access to Search rankings is now one of the sovereign issues of information.
This procedure comes as publishers strengthen their structural dependence on Search traffic. Advertising models still rely heavily on exposure in results, while generative AI platforms are already reducing click volumes. The question posed by Brussels therefore goes beyond the Google case and concerns the balance between access controllers and the players who depend on their distribution.
The investigation must be concluded within twelve months, in the event of non-compliance, the sanctions provided for by the DMA are considerable, reaching up to 10% of global turnover, or even 20% in the event of a recurrence. The text also authorizes structural measures to remedy repeated violations, a possibility never before mobilized but now fully operational.
This file will serve as a reference for the Union’s next actions and will determine whether the DMA can really influence the technical choices of platforms and protect sectors whose activity depends on algorithmic classification. For Brussels, it is a question of demonstrating that the regulation of access controllers is no longer based solely on principles, but on the concrete capacity to supervise their operation.
