Google's AI-powered search is catching heat for pulling content from publishers, with critics saying its web crawler takes much more information than rivals like OpenAI and Microsoft.
Cloudflare's CEO, Matthew Prince, pointed out that Google grabs 3.2 times more web content than OpenAI does.
Cloudflare stated that from September 15, 2026, it will block mixed-purpose crawlers on ad-supported pages for relevant customers.
UK watchdog requires Google allow publisher-opt-outs
The U.K.'s competition watchdog now requires Google to let publishers opt out of sharing their content with AI models, without losing their spot in regular search results.
This feature is being tested in the UK and could go global.
Both Google and Cloudflare say these moves are about balancing AI features with fair treatment for creators, and keeping things transparent for everyone online.