Germany classifies Google's AI Overviews and Perplexity under media law in landmark decision

Jul 16, 2026

German media regulators have determined that Google's AI Overviews are considered the company's own content rather than neutral search results, and that they displace regular links. In a first-of-its-kind move, regulators issued rulings against both Google and Perplexity under the State Media Treaty, giving each company one month to appeal.

Why it matters: This marks the first instance of AI-generated search summaries being regulated under media law in Europe, potentially setting a precedent for future oversight of AI outputs.

Full story at: The Decoder ↗