UK mandates Google to attribute publishers in AI search results

References: [ Press release ] & UK CMA’s Google Publisher Conduct Requirement Document here: [ PDF | Archived ]

“In a world first, publishers will now have effective tools to prevent their content being used to power AI features in search, such as AI Overviews,” read the United Kingdom’s (UK) press release on the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) new obligations put on the search giant Google.

Attribute publishers and link out to sources: “To boost consumer trust, Google is also now required to make sure that publisher content is properly attributed, using clear links, in AI‑generated search results,” read the press release. 

Take reasonable steps and be transparent about the attribution approach: “It requires Google to take reasonable steps to ensure that search content is attributed clearly and accurately in general search and that end users have a clear means to access that search content and to publish clear, comprehensible, and user-friendly information explaining its approach to attribution,” reads Google’s Publisher Conduct Requirement document published by CMA. &

Competition authority is monitoring & will seek remedies if required: “CMA is actively monitoring how Google is implementing these [May 2026] changes – including assessing the implications for businesses. If needed, the CMA will bring forward work on further measures to ensure a fair exchange of value between Google and publishers.”

Google needs to implement these changes before nine months: “It will have nine months to implement all changes but the CMA expects important parts of the controls to become available to publishers well before that deadline.”

Google is required to file compliance reports after six months: “Google will also be required to submit and publish compliance reports, supported by key data and metrics, explaining changes it has made and how it has complied. These are due every six months for the first year, after which the CMA will review the frequency of reporting.”

What publishers’ concerns this directive aimed: According to the Publisher Conduct Requirement document published on June 3, 2026, the key concerns of publishers were: 

• insufficient choice over the use of their content, provided for general search (Search Content), in Google’s generative AI; 
• lack of transparency about the use of their Search Content in Google’s generative AI; 
• ineffective attribution of their Search Content when used in Google’s generative AI.

You can refer to the full document of Google’s Publisher Conduct Requirement Document here: [ PDF | Archived ]

Here is what Indian news publishers are thinking about AI-driven news discovery and AI data training: 

“Journalistic content is not like free-floating content on the internet. It is intellectual property…data has to be contracted. It cannot be surrendered,” said Mohit Jain, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the…