It’s been clear for some time that the “open web” as we’ve known it for years is in a tough spot, but Google has argued the opposite. In a court statement, though, Google’s own case argues that the open web is “in rapid decline.”
Barely a month ago, Google argued that its AI products are not to blame for the widespread traffic declines, saying that total click volume “has been relatively stable” and that “average click quality has increased.” That was in response to a study that showed web traffic was falling with patterns that suggested AI was to blame. Google called the study’s methodology “flawed.”
It’s not the first time Google has stood up to argue in favor of the health of the web today, but a statement from an ongoing court case admits that “the open web is in rapid decline,” somewhat contradicting the sentiment of the company’s prior statements.
The full quote (via SE Roundtable) reads:
The fact is that today, the open web is already in rapid decline and Plaintiffs’ divestiture proposal
would only accelerate that decline, harming publishers who currently rely on open-web display
advertising revenue. As the law makes clear, the last thing a court should do is intervene to reshape an industry that is already in the midst of being reshaped by market forces.
The argument here is that the remedies being proposed by the court in regards to Google’s grasp on the online advertising market would do more harm than good. It suggests that the industry is already going through a significant shift without interference by the DOJ, and that changes enforced by the court could harm “publishers who currently rely on open-web display advertising revenue” which Google provides.
As The Verge points out, this argument is directly contrary to a statement from Google’s Nick Fox, who said in June that “the web is thriving.”
Google, of course, plays a pivotal role in the open web, with the company’s search engine being not just a useful tool, but a fundamental part of life on the internet for years. Google continues to argue in favor of AI and that it “believe[s] that Search’s value exchange with the web remains strong,” but it’s also clear that something is amiss, and now even Google has acknowledged that.
What do you think of the company’s latest statement?
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