Google Bows to EU Pressure: Third-Party Search Options Now Live

Big Tech's latest regulatory dance sees Google scrambling to comply—with a side of forced generosity.

Under the gun from Brussels, the search giant now displays rival services alongside its own results. A win for competition—or just another compliance checkbox?

The move comes as EU antitrust enforcers sharpen their knives. Remember when 'Don't be evil' meant more than avoiding billion-euro fines?

Wall Street analysts yawned—another cost of doing business for a company sitting on $139B in cash. Meanwhile, small search players finally get table scraps from the digital advertising feast.

TLDRs;

• Google adds a third-party price-comparison box atop EU search results to comply with antitrust laws
• The change responds to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which bans self-preferencing by tech giants
• Alphabet could face fines up to 10 percent of global revenue for violations
• The shift underscores rising regulatory tension between Europe and the US over tech regulation

Google is revamping its European search results to give more visibility to competitors, marking a significant shift in strategy as it faces renewed regulatory scrutiny from the European Union.

The MOVE comes in response to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping law designed to rein in the dominance of tech giants.

The tech firm, owned by Alphabet, will now feature a dedicated price-comparison box at the top of search results in Europe. Instead of showcasing only its own services like Google Flights or Google Hotels, users will now see ranked listings from third-party platforms such as Expedia, Booking.com, and other hotel and airline sites. Google’s own services will be demoted to a dropdown menu alongside other providers, a subtle but meaningful change in visibility.

This structural redesign is not purely a gesture of goodwill. The European Commission had issued a warning in March that Google risked hefty penalties if it continued to give preferential treatment to its own offerings. Under the DMA, companies found in violation may face fines of up to 10 percent of global annual revenue, or even 20 percent for repeat offenses. That could mean tens of billions in fines for Alphabet if it fails to comply.

Regulatory Pressures Are Piling Up

This isn’t Google’s first regulatory run-in with Brussels. In 2017, the company was hit with a €2.42 billion fine for promoting its own shopping comparison tool above rivals in its search engine. That case took nearly a decade to investigate and prosecute.

The new DMA framework is meant to speed things up. Instead of dragging companies through years-long antitrust probes, it imposes clear upfront rules for dominant digital “gatekeepers.”

Google’s recent changes are seen as a response to this shift. After losing a legal challenge last year related to the 2017 shopping case, the company appears more willing to adjust its products to avoid further litigation. This time, the changes go deeper, altering how results are ranked and displayed, Core elements of Google’s search engine.

EU Flexes Muscle with New Enforcement Powers

The DMA’s enforcement teeth are already biting. In April 2025, Apple and Meta were fined €500 million and €200 million respectively for early violations under the same regulation.

These swift actions mark a departure from the EU’s previous pace, signaling to all major platforms that the rules are no longer optional.

Rising Transatlantic Tensions Over Big Tech

Not everyone is on board with Europe’s aggressive approach. US officials have criticized the DMA, calling the fines a FORM of economic retaliation against American firms. The latest wave of penalties, targeting some of Silicon Valley’s biggest players, has added strain to ongoing US-EU trade talks.

Nevertheless, the EU’s approach is gaining traction globally, with other regions now considering similar legal frameworks to address tech dominance.

Google’s new feature may be a strategic retreat, but it also marks a turning point. For now, the company is playing by Europe’s rules, but the bigger question remains that it will the rest of the world follow suit?