Google conducted an experiment removing news content from search results for 1% of users over 2.5 months in eight European countries.

The company reported that news has negligible value to its advertising business, stating the impact “could not be statistically distinguished from zero.”

This test was part of Google’s response to European copyright laws requiring payment to publishers for using snippets of their content.

The findings are expected to influence payment negotiations with publishers, but they may also draw further regulatory scrutiny.

Google has faced antitrust actions in Europe, including a US$500 million fine in France over copyright negotiations. Due to legal risks, the experiment excluded France and Germany, where regulatory oversight remains strict.

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