Google says the open web is in 'rapid decline'
Google just admitted that the "open web is already in rapid decline," which is a big shift from what they said before about the internet thriving.
This comes as Google tries to avoid having its ad tech business split up, arguing that breaking it apart would hurt publishers who rely on ads.
The timing matters—Google's admission lands right before a major antitrust trial in Washington, DC, where how much power it has over the web will be questioned.
The bigger picture
This all happens as Google faces several antitrust lawsuits and criticism for changes to its algorithms and AI features.
Publishers are seeing their website traffic—and ad revenue—drop because of these updates.
Meanwhile, Google's new AI Overviews feature makes it even harder for sites to get visitors.
CEO Sundar Pichai says it's "definitely sending traffic to a wider range of sources and publishers" thanks to its AI search tools, but many in the industry aren't convinced.
All in all, it's a messy mix of tech changes, legal battles, and questions about who really controls what we see online in 2025.