Google Appeals EU Orders to Share Search Data With Rivals, Citing Privacy Risks

Alphabet’s Google has legally challenged two European Union orders compelling it to grant competitors, including AI developers and rival search engines, access to its search data. The company filed the appeal on Monday at the Luxembourg-based General Court, arguing the mandates would undermine user privacy and security protections.

The Core of the Dispute

The challenge targets orders issued by EU antitrust regulators in July under the landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping set of rules designed to increase competition in the digital sector. The regulations, set to take effect next year, would require Google to provide rivals like OpenAI with access to services available to its own Gemini AI model and to share search data with competing search engines.

Google contends that complying with these specific measures would cause "irreversible harm to European users." In a statement, Google’s senior director of competition, Oliver Bethell, said the company is appealing decisions that would "force us to share people’s private search history without sufficient anonymisation and weaken vital security protections on Android."

Privacy vs. Competition

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Google's primary argument centers on the sensitive nature of user search queries. "People use Search for their most personal questions — from medical worries to close relationships — and mandating we share these personal queries without adequate safeguards would cause irreversible harm to user privacy," Bethell stated.

The European Commission, which enforces the DMA, has maintained that its measures include robust safeguards to protect user privacy and device security. This position is supported by competitors like DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine. A spokesperson for DuckDuckGo called Google's appeal a delay tactic, stating, "The anonymization framework is robust and no amount of manufactured doubt changes that."

Market Implications

This legal battle escalates the ongoing friction between major technology firms and EU regulators over the implementation of the DMA. The outcome could set a significant precedent for how user data is handled and shared under the new competition framework. For investors, the challenge introduces regulatory uncertainty and potential compliance costs for Google, while also highlighting the persistent legal and operational hurdles facing Big Tech in Europe.