BRUSSELS: Google has changed its spam policy in Europe after EU regulators raised concerns that the rules could lead to an antitrust fine.

The Alphabet-owned technology company announced the change on Friday following complaints from publishers about its site reputation abuse policy.

The policy targets websites that publish third-party content to improve search rankings by using the ranking strength of another website. The practice is often known as parasite SEO.

Google changes policy in Europe

The European Commission said its monitoring found that Google’s spam policy could lower the search rankings of news organisations and other publishers when their websites carried content from commercial partners.

Google said the change will take effect from August 30.

Under the new approach, manual actions that lower a website’s ranking will no longer apply to users in the European Union’s 27 member states.

The change will also cover Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, which together with the EU form the European Economic Area.

Google said the policy will remain unchanged outside the European Economic Area.

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EU welcomes Google decision

European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier welcomed the change.

He said the previous policy had unfairly affected publishers and other businesses that rely on Google Search.

The Commission said the Digital Markets Act played an important role in securing the change.

“Thanks to the DMA, Google Search will no longer demote press publications solely for hosting third-party content,” Regnier said.

The European Commission will now monitor how Google applies the revised policy.

Investigation opened under Digital Markets Act

The controversy led the European Commission to open an investigation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The law aims to limit the market power of major technology companies and promote fair competition in digital markets.

EU regulators had raised concerns about the effect of Google’s search practices on publishers and other businesses.

The Commission said it would continue to assess whether Google’s revised policy complies with the DMA.

Heavy fines possible for violations

The Digital Markets Act gives the European Commission significant powers to punish companies that break its rules.

Companies found to have breached the DMA can face fines of up to 10% of their global annual turnover.

Google’s policy change removes one area of concern in Europe, but regulators will continue to monitor its implementation.

The decision also highlights the growing pressure on major technology companies to adjust their services to meet stricter European digital competition rules.