Google Faces EU Charges for Unfair Search Practices—Could Law Firms Benefit?

Google Faces EU Charges for Favoring Its Own Content

Google is under fire again—this time in Europe. The European Commission has accused the tech giant of violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by giving preferential treatment to its own services in search results. This latest legal challenge comes just weeks after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched its own investigation into Google’s dominance, as we covered in our previous blog post here.

The European Commission’s allegations focus on Google’s search bias, particularly how it promotes its own platforms—such as Google Shopping, Google Flights and Google’s AI Overviews—over independent websites in the same categories. For law firms, this issue is part of a broader concern: when Google prioritizes its own content, it pushes organic search results further down the page, making it harder for potential clients to find law firm websites.

If these charges gain traction, they could force Google to rethink how it displays search results, potentially leading to a more level playing field for publishers—including law firms. But the implications don’t stop at the EU’s borders. This case could set the stage for similar regulatory actions in the U.S., where Google is already facing antitrust scrutiny from the Department of Justice.

Google’s Search Bias and the Rise of AI Overviews

Google’s preference for its own content is already changing how users interact with search results. Google is increasingly replacing traditional search links with AI-generated Overviews, which summarize information directly on the results page.

For law firms, this can become a major problem. AI Overviews pull content from websites, including law firm blogs, and display it directly on the search results page (with a small citation link) instead of the traditional blue links that users are used to clicking. This means potential clients can get answers to their legal questions without ever clicking through to your law firm’s website. The result? Less traffic, fewer leads, and reduced visibility for firms that rely on organic search.

The European Commission’s case against Google focuses on its bias toward its own services, but the broader issue is clear: Google makes it harder for independent websites—including law firms—to reach their audience. If regulators push back, Google may be forced to reconsider how it prioritizes content, which could ultimately benefit firms looking to maintain strong SEO performance.

How This Case Connects to Google’s U.S. Legal Troubles

While the EU’s case focuses on protecting European publishers, it adds to the mounting legal challenges Google is already facing in the U.S. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused Google of monopolizing the search market, and proposed remedies could force the company to restructure and break up its services as separate companies.

As we previously covered, the DOJ’s lawsuit highlights how Google’s market dominance in search limits competition, making it harder for alternative search engines to compete. The European Commission’s charges align with these concerns, further strengthening the argument that Google’s practices harm independent publishers by prioritizing its own content.

If the EU’s enforcement efforts succeed, they could influence how U.S. regulators handle Google’s dominance in search. American courts often look to EU regulations as a model for antitrust enforcement, meaning similar restrictions could be imposed in the U.S. If that happens, law firms may finally see a more level playing field across several search engines, with less Google bias and more opportunities to attract clients organically.

Why Law Firms Should Pay Attention

If the EU’s case forces Google to change how it ranks content, law firms could see a major increase in ranking opportunities. The current search environment favors Google’s own services. This includes AI Overviews pushing organic search results further down the page. But if regulators step in, it could lead to a fairer system—one where law firm websites have a better chance of appearing in front of potential clients, no matter where they are searching.

For now, firms should focus on SEO strategies that maximize visibility, even with Google’s ongoing changes. This includes:

1. Creating in-depth content that answers client questions better than AI-generated summaries.
2. Optimizing for featured snippets, which still drive traffic despite Google’s preference for its own content.
3. Building a strong local SEO presence, ensuring visibility in Google Business Profile results and local searches.
4. Expanding SEO initiatives to alternate search engines outside of Google and Chrome’s ecosystem

While it’s unclear how quickly the EU’s charges will lead to actual changes, similar cases in the U.S. could speed up reforms. If Google is eventually forced to treat all publishers more fairly, law firms could benefit from higher search rankings, more traffic, and ultimately, more client inquiries. Contact TSEG today for more info.