Starting in 2027, Google must provide anonymized search query data to competing platforms under new EU rules. The move aims to level the playing field and foster privacy-focused alternatives in the search market.
The European Union has mandated that Google begin sharing anonymized search query data with its competitors by 2027, as part of ongoing enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The requirement compels Google to provide the same search data it uses to optimize its own services, but only after ensuring user anonymity is preserved.
This regulatory step is designed to help rival platforms develop and refine their own search products, including those that prioritize user privacy. The EU's decision is seen as a move to support initiatives like European Search Perspective and to encourage greater competition in the search ecosystem.
Unlike previous antitrust actions, this measure does not impose financial penalties on Google. Instead, it focuses on data access as a tool to balance the competitive landscape. The EU's approach reflects a broader trend of regulatory scrutiny over dominant tech platforms and their control of critical user data.
Earlier, European regulators prepared to declare that Google unfairly promoted its own shopping and travel services in search results, a move that could force significant changes in how rival platforms appear in high-value queries. For more on the EU's evolving stance toward Google, see this recent report on competition rulings.
Google has not commented publicly on the new data-sharing mandate. The company will be required to implement technical measures to ensure that all shared data is fully anonymized, protecting individual user identities while enabling competitors to analyze search trends and behaviors.
Founded in 1998, Google remains the world's leading search engine, processing over 8.5 billion searches per day as of 2026. The company employs more than 180,000 people globally and reported annual revenues exceeding $300 billion last year, with search advertising accounting for the majority of its income. The EU's Digital Markets Act, which came into force in 2023, targets large online platforms designated as "gatekeepers" and aims to promote fair competition across the digital economy.
