Google Halts Site Reputation Abuse Manual Actions in EEA

Image credit: Abondance

Google will cease applying manual actions for site reputation abuse to search results for users within the European Economic Area (EEA) starting August 30, 2026, following discussions with the European Commission under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

This adjustment marks the first instance where Google‘s anti-spam policies and their resulting search impacts will differ based on a user’s geographical location, specifically for EEA users.

While EEA-based sites will continue to receive manual actions in Google Search Console, these notifications will not affect local search rankings for users within the EEA, according to Google.

The company stated that manual actions for site reputation abuse will continue to apply normally for searches performed outside the European Economic Area.

Google introduced its site reputation abuse policy in March 2024 to combat what is often referred to as ‘Parasite SEO,’ a practice where third-party content leverages a host site’s strong ranking signals.

The policy targets sections of websites that host low-value, third-party content primarily to exploit the host site’s authority and ranking power.

Despite the change in application for EEA users, algorithmic processing of affected sections will remain unchanged, allowing Google to isolate and rank these sections independently.

Google asserted its continued commitment to its site reputation abuse policy, aiming to provide a more reliable search experience for users globally.

However, the company also noted that it is adjusting the policy’s application within Europe to address specific concerns raised by the European Commission.

Barry Schwartz, a prominent figure in the search engine industry and editor for Search Engine Roundtable, observed that this development represents an unprecedented step for Google in differentiating anti-spam policy rules based on user location.

The Digital Markets Act, which came into full effect in March 2024, aims to ensure fair and open digital markets in the European Union by regulating large online platforms, including Google.

The decision to modify the application of manual actions for site reputation abuse in the EEA reflects ongoing compliance efforts by Google in response to the DMA’s provisions and the European Commission’s oversight.

Source: Abondance