EU orders Google to open search data and Android to rivals

The European Union ordered Google to share search data with rival search engines and make Android more open to competing AI services under the Digital Markets Act. Brussels said data sharing must begin in January 2027, while Android users would start seeing benefits from the changes in July 2027.

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the measures are intended to support alternatives to Google Search and Google’s AI services, including Gemini, and give users in the EU more choice. The EU said Android users should be able to choose a preferred AI chatbot for voice commands, similar to the “Hey Google” feature.

Google said the requirements would create risks for privacy, device security and national security. Kent Walker, the company’s head of global affairs, argued that sharing search data could expose private searches to unfamiliar companies without adequate anonymisation, user knowledge or consent. A senior EU official said Brussels had taken integrity, security and privacy into account and would ensure anonymisation.

The measures are legally binding, though they are separate from a formal investigation that could lead to fines. The EU can impose penalties of up to 10 percent of a company’s total global turnover for DMA violations, and Google has already faced major EU penalties, including fines worth 8.2 billion euros between 2017 and 2019 and a €2.95 billion fine in September last year.