Tech News Google Says It Will "Degrade the User Experience for Europeans" to Comply With EU Search Rules

[lokamoka820]

Content source

https://www.ghacks.net/2026/09/14/google-says-it-will-degrade-the-user-experience-for-europeans-to-comply-with-eu-search-rules/

In response to antitrust regulators, Google is introducing changes to the search results it provides to users in Europe, stating that the move will "degrade the user experience for Europeans".

The company is implementing these changes in order to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act after having been fined €460 million ($534 million) earlier this year for giving increased prominence to its own services.

Google cautions that the changes will benefit online intermediaries at the cost of local businesses, while the EU says they will create a level playing field. Users outside of the EU will remain unaffected.

 

[Marko :)]

Before introducing the changes in Europe, Google stated that it had tested them with a certain proportion of its users. The company notes that these users were dissatisfied with the way the search results were displayed to them.

Google: How are you finding the experience?
- good.
Google: How about now? Is it miserable?
- nah, it's still good.
Google: Okay, now? Is it miserable now?
- oh God Google, please stop... results are pathetic and miserable... please stop
Google: That's it! Thanks!

I don't think Google can become worse than it already is. Beside, they seem to copy Apple tactic of making their services worse in hope we'll put pressure on the EU to allow them do whatever the hell they want. Unfortunately for them, it's not how it works here.

 

[Sorrento]

Most wont know the great G has done this anyway, they will assume all is well, somewhat childish IMHO

 

[Ice Dream']

they seem frustrated
well weren't they already?
why'd think that a lot of stolen CIS/EU accounts never get found or for odd reasons the 2FA thing doesn't work at that point in time?
so u telling me that since all the days it has been working
now it doesn't? what!

G also modifies your search engine by default
I guess that despite the security risks of FF, is a major solution now
and if more likely... forks of FF such as Floorp(JA, based browser good)


note: strange to think that not many years ago... around phu oh... no, there's many years ago not just a bit
anyway... these years ago... we first hand had Opera based on Presto engine and it was godlike.
now all since Presto is a downgrade

 

[Ice Dream']

a quick question
does the account age matters in this scenario?

 

[lokamoka820]

a quick question
does the account age matters in this scenario?

Account age is irrelevant because this is about the Google search engine results and not the Google account.

 

[Ice Dream']

Account age is irrelevant because this is about the Google search engine results and not the Google account.

yeah it served more as a side note rather than a focal point
plus what happens is that within EU, we had received a lot of opression from SUA
and this tiny news article really does a good job at saying this out loud for everyone in the room, including the elephant

iirc I have this account ever since 2005 or 6