Exclusive-Google's AI Overviews hit by EU antitrust complaint from independent publishers
Google's AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that appear above traditional hyperlinks to relevant webpages and are shown to users in more than 100 countries. It began adding advertisements to AI Overviews last May.
The company is making its biggest bet by integrating AI into search but the move has sparked concerns from some content providers such as publishers.
The Independent Publishers Alliance document, dated June 30, sets out a complaint to the European Commission and alleges that Google abuses its market power in online search.
"Google's core search engine service is misusing web content for Google's AI Overviews in Google Search, which have caused, and continue to cause, significant harm to publishers, including news publishers in the form of traffic, readership and revenue loss," the document said.
It said Google positions its AI Overviews at the top of its general search engine results page to display its own summaries which are generated using publisher material and it alleges that Google's positioning disadvantages publishers' original content.
"Publishers using Google Search do not have the option to opt out from their material being ingested for Google's AI large language model training and/or from being crawled for summaries, without losing their ability to appear in Google's general search results page," the complaint said.
The Commission declined to comment.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority confirmed receipt of the complaint.
Google said it sends billions of clicks to websites each day.
"New AI experiences in Search enable people to ask even more questions, which creates new opportunities for content and businesses to be discovered," a Google spokesperson said.
The Independent Publishers Alliance's website says it is a nonprofit community advocating for independent publishers, which it does not name.
The Movement for an Open Web, whose members include digital advertisers and publishers, and British non-profit Foxglove Legal Community Interest Company, which says it advocates for fairness in the tech world, are also signatories to the complaint.
They said an interim measure was necessary to prevent serious irreparable harm to competition and to ensure access to news.
Google said numerous claims about traffic from search are often based on highly incomplete and skewed data.
"The reality is that sites can gain and lose traffic for a variety of reasons, including seasonal demand, interests of users, and regular algorithmic updates to Search," the Google spokesperson said.
Foxglove co-executive director Rosa Curling said journalists and publishers face a dire situation.
"Independent news faces an existential threat: Google's AI Overviews," she told Reuters.
"That's why with this complaint, Foxglove and our partners are urging the European Commission, along with other regulators around the world, to take a stand and allow independent journalism to opt out," Curling said.
The three groups have filed a similar complaint and a request for an interim measure to the UK competition authority.
The complaints echoed a U.S. lawsuit by a U.S. edtech company which said Google's AI Overviews is eroding demand for original content and undermining publishers' ability to compete that have resulted in a drop in visitors and subscribers.
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Business Times
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Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
‘I applied to over 300 jobs': What people wish they knew before they got laid off
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Global unrest, economic uncertainty and tech-driven upheaval have meant layoffs, retrenchments and involuntary unemployment becoming a reality for many. SINGAPORE – What would you do if you were laid off unexpectedly? For Mr Uzen Tan, 30, the answer was becoming a Grab driver with a placard tied to the back of his seat rest. It reads 'I got retrenched!', so that every ride can be a 'networking opportunity'. 'I've probably sent out over 300 applications and have not found a suitable role yet,' says the former tech worker. He was laid off from his previous role as a marketing specialist at Google in April. More than 20 passengers have since scanned the QR code on his placard to access his resume. Some even offered personal advice. And he has been documenting his journey on TikTok. Mr Tan became a private-hire driver to pay the bills and help his wife, a human resources manager, take care of their 18-month-old daughter. 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At the very least, former jobseekers and experts say one should not neglect his or her profile on professional platforms such as LinkedIn. Up-to-date information is key as such networks have increasingly become the avenue for recruiters trying to cold-call or screen suitable candidates. 3. Set timelines – and know when to reassess One of the most stressful parts of job hunting is watching your savings ebb away with no clear end in sight. Looking back, jobseekers say preparing for the long haul is one piece of advice they could give to their past – and still employed – selves. Jobstreet by Seek's Ms Tan says entry-level positions typically take a few weeks to a couple of months to fill. Mid-level roles can take from one to three months, while the search for senior-level positions may range from several months to a year. The state of the economy, the role's complexity and the nature of the industry also influence these timelines. For instance, 2024's slew of tech layoffs meant that the field was awash with newly unemployed workers competing for a shrinking number of roles. As such, one should consider all the above factors when budgeting and setting expectations. Mr Alvin Fu, chief distribution officer of insurance and finance firm AIA, says a newly unemployed person should assume the jobseeking process may take three to six months or more, which means tightening one's budget early and delaying large or non-essential financial commitments. At the three-month mark, a reassessment might be necessary and one can consider taking on short-term gigs to make up for budget shortfalls. SMU's Dr Lim notes that many jobseekers often compare new vacancies with their most recently held role in terms of last-drawn salary and title. However, trying to survive may require turning one's focus towards what is enough, rather than what is ideal. Mr Adrian Kee (pictured with his son) says that an extended period of unemployment takes a silent toll on one's mental health, particularly because of pressures around being a primary breadwinner. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ADRIAN KEE Mr Kee is no stranger to this feeling. After being laid off from a multinational corporation in 2023, followed by four months of unsuccessful searching, he took a 50 per cent pay cut to work in a start-up. 'At that time, it was a period of tech layoffs from Google and Meta, the market was really bad and the number of jobseekers outweighed the number of jobs available. I had a difficult time looking for my next job,' he says. When the start-up failed to take off, the sole breadwinner of his family was unemployed for a further six months before he found his current gig. Looking back, he reflects: 'It made me feel like trash, not because I was choosy, but because life put me in such a position that I have to beg for a job.' His advice to others in his shoes: plan ahead for any big-ticket items to protect your mental health. While unemployed, he sought to shield his son, now eight, from the stress of dwindling finances. Even though the family cut back on eating out and other expenses, they invested in annual memberships for an indoor playground and the Singapore Zoo. Without holidays abroad, these places became their go-to weekly outing spots so that they could keep costs low without sacrificing family time. 4. Don't take on the silence-rejection marathon alone Among current and former jobseekers who spoke to ST, nearly all agreed that one of the silent killers of today's increasingly impersonal hiring landscape is how rejection comes not in the form of a letter – but total silence. Not only do companies often not respond, but the new phenomenon of 'ghost jobs' also means that not every vacancy is meant to be filled. When Mr Ching was unemployed in 2020, he sought out his fellow laid-off PMETs and met them for coffee to exchange tips and go on walks together. 'This was my support group, which was needed as it was difficult for my non-laid-off friends to relate,' he says. Find support and treat job hunting like a 'day job' – with a corresponding fixed time to shut down one's computer and rest. For other jobseekers, protecting one's mental health meant turning to friends, occupying time with new courses and hobbies or – in the case of Grab driver Mr Tan – embracing content creation as a creative outlet for job-seeking anxieties. Mr Uzen Tan has taken an unusual approach to networking while working as a Grab driver after being laid off. PHOTO: COURTESY OF UZEN TAN The sudden void in one's well-oiled routine that often accompanies unemployment can grind down one's self-esteem. This is compounded by how one's peers remain employed and are living it up, while one is expected to cut back on social activities and outings. To Dr Lim, the most immediate challenge is avoiding the trap of 'learned helplessness', when it feels like there is no more hope after facing rejection repeatedly. It is a disempowering time, but one can take back control by accepting the factors beyond one's control, while exercising agency over the things that are, such as going for upskilling courses. 'You can control how many job applications you can send out daily. You can control whom you would like to meet in your network to seek job opportunities,' he adds. 5. Don't let fear cloud your judgment For those with fewer financial burdens, they could embrace the sudden freedom of unemployment as a time for reinvention. Ms Lim Lishan (second from right) says that extended unemployment gave her the chance to pursue low-cost solo travel, and rediscover her life passions, such as scuba diving. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LIM LISHAN Ms Lim Lishan, 32, has spent much of the past year unemployed, save for brief stints of temporary or part-time work. She had trouble adjusting to a new course of antidepressants that made her feel 'sluggish and lethargic'. During this time, the bachelorette embraced a low-cost lifestyle. She travelled solo through Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and China, among other places, rediscovering her passion for rock climbing and scuba diving along the way. This experience made her realise she is after a flexible freelance work arrangement, leading her to turn down job offers to start her own yoga and wellness business. Such gig economy work might become a feature of the Singapore labour force, especially for younger job entrants who cannot land the jobs they want after graduation or choose to opt out of the rat race. Mr Kishore Kumar, 26, turned to part-time retail work at the start of 2025 after he voluntarily left his administrative job at a local university. 'I was not feeling good about myself or the work I was doing,' he says. 'Burnout was intense.' It took him over 150 applications before he landed his initial university job. On his second go at job searching, he looked at vacancies with a more discerning eye while working part-time. Some 50 applications later, he landed his current job as a copywriter at ride-hailing firm Gojek in May. His takeaway? It is important not to act from a place of scarcity and take on jobs you know deep down are not right for you – because you might end up right back where you started. 'Make sure the jobs you're getting offers for are ones you actually want to do and can see yourself doing for the long term, and not something you're jumping into out of desperation,' he says. Dr Lim agrees with this, adding that seeing downtime as a threat to one's self-worth or identity can be debilitating. 'If one sees this as an opportunity to reset, recharge or even reinvent oneself, this mindset change can chart a whole new path towards new-found success.' One example is Mr Melvyn Loey, 43, who resigned from his position as director of a local law firm in July 2024 to care for his ageing parents. Although he planned to return to full-time work later that year, the offer from another firm fell through. 'My mental health took a huge beating as self-doubt set in,' he says. What compounded the stress of extended unemployment was being responsible for supporting both his own and his parents' households. Upon reassessing his priorities, he decided to consciously extend his career break, in the hope that more vacancies would open up. The savings he had built up helped him act from a position of abundance rather than scarcity. 'I was actually prepared to go for two years,' he says. He starts as legal counsel of another firm in July. His advice: Always build up a rainy day fund and aim to reframe unexpected negatives as new opportunities. 'At the end of the day, I decided to focus on spending more time with my ageing parents and loved ones, who were the main reason I decided to take a career hiatus in the first place,' he says. 'Also, being able to cook helps,' he quips.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
France says ‘major issues' remain despite brandy price accord with China
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (right) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi address a joint press conference after a meeting in Paris. PARIS - France on July 4 praised China's steps to settle a trade dispute over European brandy imports but warned that 'major issues' remained unresolved. The signs of a thaw in the row over the alcohol came as China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. In recent months China and the European Union have butted heads over Beijing's generous subsidies for its domestic industries. Beijing launched an investigation in 2024 into EU brandy, months after the bloc undertook a probe into Chinese electric vehicle (EV) subsidies. In the latest salvo, China will from July 5 require European brandy exporters to raise prices or risk anti-dumping taxes of up to 34.9 per cent. Beijing said 34 European brandy makers, including several French cognac producers, had signed an accord to avoid tariffs as long as they stick to an agreed minimum price. France's cognac makers' association BNIC, which includes key producers Hennessy, Remy Cointreau and Martell, confirmed that some companies had agreed to price increases in China to avoid anti-dumping taxes. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival World Hamas says it responds to Gaza ceasefire proposal in 'a positive spirit' Asia Surviving 40 deg C summer in Chongqing, one of China's hottest cities Singapore PAP has begun search for new candidates; PM Wong hopes to deploy them earlier ahead of next GE Singapore 20 retired MPs spoke up on many issues in Parliament, helped successors prepare for new role: PM Wong Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches Asia JB petrol station shooting: Dead man with bullet wounds dumped at hospital Mr Macron and Mr Barrot praised China's steps to resolve the dispute but stressed they would discuss the outstanding differences with Mr Wang. 'This is a positive step towards resolving this dispute, which was threatening our exports,' Mr Macron said on X. 'I will continue to raise these issues with the Chinese authorities this afternoon.' In a statement to AFP, Mr Barrot said: 'Several major issues remain unresolved, in particular the exclusion of certain players from the scope of the exemptions.' 'We remain fully committed to reaching a definitive solution based on the conditions that existed prior to the investigation,' he said. Mr Wang has held fraught meetings in several European countries this week. After meeting Mr Macron and Mr Barrot, Wang told a press conference: 'The two sides had in-depth, active and sincere exchanges on Sino-French and European relations.' No mention was made of the brandy dispute. Almost all EU brandy is cognac produced in France, whose exports to China are worth €1.4 billion (S$2.1 billion) per year. French liquor giant Jas Hennessy said it would face levies of 34.9 per cent if it did not stick to the deal. Remy Martin will be hit with 34.3 per cent and Martell 27.7 per cent. 'The decision to accept the price commitment once again demonstrates China's sincerity in resolving trade frictions through dialogue and consultation,' a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement. However, the European Commission kept up criticism of China's new tariffs. 'We believe that China's measures are unfair. We believe they are unjustified,' said commission trade spokesman Olof Gill. 'We believe they are inconsistent with the applicable international rules and are thus unfounded.' Upcoming summit China has sought to improve relations with the European Union as a counterweight to the United States. But frictions remain, including a yawning trade deficit of US$357.1 billion (S$455.03 billion) between China and the EU, as well as Beijing maintaining close ties with Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine. The trade row blew up in 2024 when the EU moved to impose hefty tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, arguing that Beijing's subsidies unfairly undercut European competitors. Beijing rejected the accusation and announced what were seen as retaliatory probes into imported European pork, brandy and dairy products. The EU imposed extra import taxes of up to 35 per cent on Chinese electric vehicles in October. Beijing lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organisation, which in April said it would set up an expert panel to investigate. China and the EU are to hold a summit in July to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. But Bloomberg News reported, citing unnamed sources, that Beijing would cancel the second day of the summit , in a sign of the tensions. AFP
