EU Wants Google to Share Search Data With Rival Search Engines and AI Chatbots

The European Commission wants Google to share anonymized search data with rival search engines under the Digital Markets Act. The proposed measures would apply to Google Search data, including ranking, query, click, and view data, so competitors can improve their own search products and challenge Google’s position in Europe.

The plan also covers AI chatbots that include search functionality. That means AI-powered search tools could qualify for access if they meet the Commission’s eligibility requirements. The proposal is still under consultation, so the final rules could change before the Commission issues its binding decision.

Google opposes the plan and has warned that data-sharing requirements could create privacy and security risks. The Commission says the data must be anonymized and shared under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms, known as FRAND terms.

What the EU is proposing

The proposal comes under Article 6(11) of the Digital Markets Act, which requires designated gatekeepers to share anonymized online search data with third-party search engines on FRAND terms. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is the gatekeeper covered by this search data-sharing case.

The Commission opened proceedings on January 27, 2026, to specify how Alphabet must comply with this obligation. On April 16, 2026, it sent preliminary findings and draft measures explaining what Google may need to do.

The proposed framework covers eligibility, the scope of shared data, technical access, anonymization, pricing, and governance. The Commission says the goal is to help other search providers improve their services and compete more effectively with Google Search.

What data Google may have to share

Data category	What it can reveal	Why rivals want it
Ranking data	How search results perform in practice	Helps improve result ordering
Query data	What users search for	Helps understand search demand
Click data	Which results users choose	Helps improve relevance signals
View data	Which results users see	Helps measure visibility and user behavior

The Commission’s proposal focuses on behavioral signals that help search engines learn from user interactions. These signals can make search results more relevant over time, especially when combined with ranking and click feedback.

Access would not mean handing over personal search histories in raw form. The Commission says the data must be anonymized before sharing, with safeguards to reduce re-identification risk.

The Cyber Security News report says Google would have to provide data through an API covering the previous 24 hours of European user search activity. The Commission’s public materials confirm the API-style access and data-sharing framework, while the detailed technical terms sit inside the consultation documents.

Why AI chatbots are included

The inclusion of AI chatbots is one of the most important parts of the proposal. Search is no longer limited to classic pages with blue links. Users increasingly ask AI assistants for answers, summaries, recommendations, and product comparisons.

The Commission’s proposed measures include AI chatbots with search functionalities among possible data beneficiaries. This could help AI search rivals improve answer quality, ranking decisions, and freshness when they compete with Google’s own AI-powered search products.

This also shows how the DMA is expanding beyond older competition debates. Regulators are now looking at how data advantages in search can shape the next generation of AI discovery tools.

Privacy and security concerns remain

The biggest concern is whether anonymized search data can stay anonymous. Search queries can contain sensitive details about health, finance, location, work, family issues, legal problems, and personal identity.

Even when direct identifiers are removed, unusual query combinations may create re-identification risks. That is why the Commission’s proposal includes anonymization requirements and safeguards before any data is shared.

Google argues that forced data sharing could expose sensitive user information and weaken privacy. Supporters of the measure argue that Google’s scale gives it a self-reinforcing advantage that rivals cannot overcome without access to similar search signals.

Key dates in the Google search data case

Date	Event
September 2023	Alphabet was designated as a DMA gatekeeper
March 2024	Full DMA obligations started applying to designated gatekeepers
January 27, 2026	Commission opened proceedings on Google search data sharing
April 16, 2026	Commission sent preliminary findings and draft measures
May 1, 2026	Deadline for third-party feedback in the consultation
July 27, 2026	Latest expected date for the final decision

The Commission is collecting feedback from interested third parties before finalizing the measures. The consultation page says interested parties can respond to the proposal, and the Commission will use those responses before adopting a binding decision.

If Google fails to comply with DMA obligations, the law allows the EU to impose major penalties. DMA fines can reach up to 10% of a company’s total worldwide annual turnover, with higher penalties possible for repeated infringements.

What this means for Google and competitors

For Google, the proposal could force a major change in how it handles search data in Europe. The company may need to build compliant access systems, pricing rules, anonymization controls, audit processes, and governance procedures.

For rival search engines, the measure could offer access to signals that are difficult to build without massive user scale. Search quality improves when a provider can learn what users search for, what results they see, and what links they click.

For AI chatbot companies, access to search interaction data could support better retrieval, ranking, and answer generation. However, companies receiving the data would likely face strict limits on how they store, process, and reuse it.

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