Why Google Faces Accusations From Publishers
Google has recently been accused of being a bad actor in how it uses publisher content to power its AI tools. The concern centers on the company’s use of a single crawler for both search indexing and AI training. While search once delivered most of the traffic to publishers, leaders in the industry now claim Google’s AI features are reducing referrals while still extracting value from their work. This shift has sparked a growing debate about fairness, copyright, and the balance of power between publishers and tech giants.
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Google’s AI Crawling Practices Under Fire
Neil Vogel, CEO of People Inc., one of the largest digital and print publishers in the U.S., criticized Google for using the same crawler to serve both search results and AI products. In his view, the company is effectively taking publisher content to fuel its AI tools without offering fair compensation. Vogel explained that while Google Search once drove about 65% of his company’s traffic, that number has now dropped to the high 20s. For publishers who rely heavily on web traffic to sustain their business, this decline raises serious questions about long-term sustainability.
The Impact On Publishers In The AI Era
The rapid adoption of AI-driven tools is reshaping the digital publishing landscape. Many publishers argue that their content is being repurposed by AI systems in ways that limit direct audience engagement. Vogel stressed that while his company continues to grow in audience and revenue, the core issue is competition: publishers spend resources creating content, only to see it reused by AI products that may reduce the incentive for readers to click through. This tension is at the heart of the publishing industry’s pushback against unrestricted AI crawling.
Why Blocking AI Crawlers Could Be A Turning Point
To regain leverage, some publishers are exploring ways to block AI crawlers until fair agreements are established. Vogel pointed out that deals between publishers and AI companies are possible, noting that his organization has already formed such partnerships. However, he emphasized that these arrangements must come with clear value exchange. As the debate intensifies, the outcome could shape how content ownership, AI training, and digital publishing coexist in the coming years. For now, the accusations highlight the urgent need for balance between innovation and the rights of content creators.
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