Google Search

Report March 2026

Submitted

Executive summary


Google’s mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. To deliver on this mission, and as technology evolves, helping users find useful, relevant and high-quality information across our services is of utmost importance. 

Since Google was founded, Google’s product, policy, and content enforcement decisions have been guided by the following three principles:

1. We value openness and accessibility: We lean towards keeping content accessible by providing access to an open and diverse information ecosystem.

2. We respect user choice: If users search for content that is not illegal or prohibited by our policies, they should be able to find it.

3. We build for everyone: Our services are used around the world by users from different cultures, languages, and backgrounds, and at different stages in their lives. We take the diversity of our users into account in policy development and policy enforcement decisions.

With these principles in mind, Google has long invested in ranking systems and has teams around the world working to connect people with high-quality content; in developing and enforcing rules that prohibit harmful behaviours and content on Google services; and in innovative ways to provide context to users when they might need it most. 

How companies like Google address information quality concerns has an impact on society and on the trust users place in our services. We are cognisant that these are complex issues, affecting all of society, which no single actor is in a position to fully tackle on their own. That is why we have welcomed the multi-stakeholder approach put forward by the EU Code of Conduct on Disinformation. 

Alongside our participation in the EU Code of Conduct on Disinformation, we continue to work closely with regulators to ensure that our services appropriately comply with the EU Digital Services Act (EU DSA), in full respect of EU fundamental rights such as freedom of expression.

The work of supporting a healthy information ecosystem is never finished and we remain committed to it. This is in our interest and the interest of our users.

This report includes metrics and narrative detail for Google Search, YouTube, and Google Advertising users in the European Union (EU), and covers the period from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2025.

Updates to highlight in this report include (but are not limited to):
 
  • 2025 Elections across EU Member States: During the reporting period, voters cast their ballots in Moldova, Czech Republic, Portugal, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Google supported these democratic processes by surfacing high-quality information to voters, safeguarding its platforms from abuse, and equipping campaigns with best-in-class security tools and training. In addition, Google put in place a number of policies and other measures that helped people navigate political content that was AI-generated, including ad disclosures, content labels on YouTube, and digital watermarking tools. 

  • Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI): In H1 2025, we announced new AI safeguards to help protect against misuse. We introduced SynthID Detector, a verification portal to identify AI-generated content made with Google AI. The portal, which we have rolled out to early testers, provides detection capabilities across different modalities in one place, and provides essential transparency in the rapidly evolving landscape of generative media.
    • When we launched SynthID — a state-of-the-art tool that embeds imperceptible watermarks and enables the identification of AI-generated content — our aim was to provide a suite of novel technical solutions to help minimise misinformation and misattribution.
    • SynthID not only preserves the content’s quality, it acts as a robust watermark that remains detectable even when the content is shared or undergoes a range of transformations. While originally focused on AI-generated imagery only, we have since expanded SynthID to Include AI-generated text, audio and video content, including content generated by our Gemini, Imagen, Lyria and Veo models. Over 10 billion pieces of content have already been watermarked with SynthID.
    • How SynthID Detector works: When you upload an image, audio track, video or piece of text created using Google's AI tools, the portal will scan the media for a SynthID watermark. If a watermark is detected, the portal will highlight specific portions of the content most likely to be watermarked. For audio, the portal pinpoints specific segments where a SynthID watermark is detected, and for images, it indicates areas where a watermark is most likely.

  • In addition to our continued work and investment in new tools, we are also committed to working with the greater ecosystem to help others benefit from and improve on the advances we are making. As such, we have open-sourced SynthID text watermarking through our updated Responsible Generative AI Toolkit. Underpinning our advancements in AI, as a member of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), we collaborate with Adobe, Microsoft, OpenAI, Meta, startups, and many others to build and implement the newest version (2.2) of the coalition’s technical standard, Content Credentials. This version is more secure against a wider range of tampering attacks due to stricter technical requirements for validating the history of the content’s provenance.

Google has been working on AI for over a decade to solve society’s biggest challenges and also power the Google services people use every day. The progress in large-scale AI models (including generative AI) has sparked additional discussion about the social impacts of AI and raised concerns on topics such as disinformation. Google is committed to developing technology responsibly and first published AI Principles in 2018 to guide our work. Google’s robust internal governance focuses on responsibility throughout the AI development lifecycle, covering model development, application deployment, and post-launch monitoring. Through our philanthropic arm, Google.org, we have supported organisations that are using AI to tackle important societal issues. Google Search has published guidance on AI-generated content, outlining its approach to maintaining a high standard of information quality and the overall helpfulness of content on Search. To help enhance information quality across its services, Google continuously works to integrate new innovations in watermarking, metadata, and other techniques into its latest generative models. Google has also joined other leading AI companies to jointly commit to advancing responsible practices in the development of artificial intelligence which will support efforts by the G7, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and national governments. Going forward we will continue to report and expand upon Google developed AI tools and are committed to advance bold and responsible AI, to maximise AI’s benefits and minimise its risks.

Lastly, the contents of this report should be read with the following context in mind: 

  • This report discusses the key approaches across the following Google services when it comes to addressing disinformation: Google Search, YouTube, and Google Advertising. 
  • For chapters of the Code that involve the same actions across all three services (e.g. participation in the Permanent Task-force or in development of the Transparency Centre), we respond as 'Google, on behalf of related services'.
  • This report follows the structure and template laid out by the Code’s Permanent Task-force, organised around Commitments and Chapters of the Code.
  • Unless otherwise specified, metrics provided cover activities and actions during the period from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2025.
  • The data provided in this report is subject to a range of factors, including product changes and user settings, and so is expected to fluctuate over the time of the reporting period. As Google continues to evolve its approach, in part to better address user and regulatory needs, the data reported here could vary substantially over time. 
  • We are continuously working to improve the safety and reliability of our services. We are not always in a position to pre-announce specific launch dates, details or timelines for upcoming improvements, and therefore may reply 'no' when asked whether we can disclose future plans for Code implementation measures in the coming reporting period. This 'no' should be understood in the context that we are constantly working to improve safety and reliability and may in fact launch relevant changes without the ability to pre-announce. 
  • This report is filed concurrently with two ‘crisis reports’ about our response to the Israel-Gaza conflict and to the war in Ukraine. Additionally, an annex on Google’s response toward the recent elections in Moldova, Czech Republic, Portugal, Ireland, and the Netherlands is included in this report.
  • The term ‘disinformation’ in this report refers to the definition included in the EU Code of Conduct on Disinformation.

Google looks forward to continuing to work together with other stakeholders in the EU to address challenges related to disinformation.

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Commitment 17
In light of the European Commission's initiatives in the area of media literacy, including the new Digital Education Action Plan, Relevant Signatories commit to continue and strengthen their efforts in the area of media literacy and critical thinking, also with the aim to include vulnerable groups.
We signed up to the following measures of this commitment
Measure 17.1 Measure 17.2 Measure 17.3
In line with this commitment, did you deploy new implementation measures (e.g. changes to your terms of service, new tools, new policies, etc)?
Yes
If yes, list these implementation measures here
Google’s ‘Super Searchers’ information literacy curriculum was updated in consultation with experts in the SIFT method, a practical framework to evaluate information (Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims to the original context). When combined with AI-powered tools like AI Mode, Super Searchers helps users find trustworthy information and understand it in context.
Do you plan to put further implementation measures in place in the next 6 months to substantially improve the maturity of the implementation of this commitment?
No
If yes, which further implementation measures do you plan to put in place in the next 6 months?
N/A
Measure 17.1
Relevant Signatories will design and implement or continue to maintain tools to improve media literacy and critical thinking, for instance by empowering users with context on the content visible on services or with guidance on how to evaluate online content.
QRE 17.1.1
Relevant Signatories will outline the tools they develop or maintain that are relevant to this commitment and report on their deployment in each Member State.
Note: The below QRE response has been reproduced (in some instances truncated in order to meet the suggested character limit) from the previous report as there is no new information to share now.

Google Search aims to connect users with high-quality information, and help users understand and evaluate that information. Google Search has deeply invested in both information quality and information literacy. Some ways in which Google Search does this include:

  • ‘About This Result’: Next to most results on Google Search, there is a menu icon that users can tap to learn more about the result or feature and where the information is coming from. With this additional context, users can make a more informed decision about the sites they want to visit and what results will be most useful for them. When available, users will see a description of the website from Wikipedia, which provides free, reliable information about tens of millions of sites on the web. If a website does not have a Wikipedia description, Google Search will show an AI summary which synthesises additional information, explaining how the response was generated and highlighting referenced web pages. More information on the ‘About This Result’ feature can be found here and here. 
    • The ‘More About This Page’ link within the ‘About This Result’ feature provides additional insights about sources and topics users find on Google Search. When a user taps the three dots on any search result, they will be able to learn more about the page. Users can: 
      • See more information about the source: Users will be able to read what a site says about itself in its own words, when that information is available.
      • Find what others on the web have said about a site: Reading what others on the web have written about a site can help users better evaluate sources.
      • Learn more about the topic: In the ‘About the topic’ section, users can find information about the same topic from other sources.
    • Additional information can be found in the Google Search blog post here.

  • ‘About This Image’: With added insights in ‘About This Image’, users will know if an image may have been generated with Google’s AI tools when they come across it in Search or Chrome. All images generated with Imagen 2 in Google’s consumer products are marked by SynthID, a tool developed by Google DeepMind that adds a digital watermark directly into the pixels of images generated. SynthID watermarks are imperceptible to the human eye but detectable for identification. ‘About This Image’ tool is available in more than 40 languages around the world, including English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese.
    • Google Search has also conducted extensive adversarial testing and red teaming to identify and mitigate potential harmful and problematic content. Google Search is also applying filters to avoid generating images of named people. 
    • More information on the ‘About This Image’ feature can be found here. We continue looking at ways to integrate integrity signals more directly throughout the Search experience, with a view to enhancing user experience and providing users with the context needed to make informed decisions about the information they see online. For example, we are looking at embedding image provenance into Google Search features in order to enable users to check image provenance more seamlessly.

  • Content Advisory Notices: Helpful notices for users that highlight when information is scarce or when interest is travelling faster than facts. These are specifically designed to address data voids which include queries for which either content is limited or nonexistent or when a topic is rapidly evolving and reliable information is not yet available for that topic. 
    • Google Search is evolving Content Advisory Notices by exploring new ways to present users with helpful and relevant information through our AI features.
SLI 17.1.1
Relevant Signatories will report, at the Member State level, on metrics pertinent to assessing the effects of the tools described in the qualitative reporting element for Measure 17.1, which will include: the total count of impressions of the tool; and information on the interactions/engagement with the tool.
(1) Impression proportion estimate of content advisories for low relevance results during the reporting period, broken down by EEA Member State;

(2) Impression proportion estimate of content advisories for rapidly changing results during the reporting period, broken down by EEA Member State;

Note metrics 1 and 2 are estimated proportions; metric 1 represents the number of content advisories for low relevance results out of all queries over the reporting period; metric 2 follows the same logic but is for content advisories for rapidly changing results. 

(3) Number of times the ‘More About This Page’ feature was viewed during the reporting period, broken down by EEA Member State;

(4) Number of times the ‘Source’ section of the ‘About This Result’ panel was viewed during the reporting period, broken down by EEA Member State;

(5) Number of times the 'Your Search and this result' section of the ‘About This Result’ panel was viewed during the reporting period, broken down by EEA Member State.
Impression proportion estimate of content advisories for low relevance results (%) Impression proportion estimate of content advisories for rapidly changing results (%) Number of times the 'More About This Page' feature was viewed Number of times the 'Source' section of the 'About This Result' panel was viewed Number of times the 'Your Search and this result' section of the 'About This Result' panel was viewed
Austria 0.132% 0.00122% 702,132 12,509,528 12,233,724
Belgium 0.115% 0.00101% 930,096 15,291,148 14,976,336
Bulgaria 0.152% 0.00239% 643,268 6,941,628 6,701,300
Croatia 0.147% 0.00156% 443,332 6,013,696 5,731,792
Cyprus 0.173% 0.00146% 136,788 1,685,780 1,646,720
Czech Republic 0.134% 0.00089% 898,600 11,324,284 11,142,872
Denmark 0.109% 0.00166% 380,172 7,531,808 7,429,444
Estonia 0.199% 0.00178% 116,624 1,638,496 1,613,708
Finland 0.128% 0.00168% 456,244 9,561,232 9,408,808
France 0.095% 0.00068% 6,159,488 86,792,728 83,466,528
Germany 0.132% 0.00124% 8,044,964 125,073,084 121,571,264
Greece 0.188% 0.00100% 1,087,608 13,193,056 12,714,524
Hungary 0.163% 0.00204% 776,040 9,961,460 9,685,708
Ireland 0.085% 0.00290% 503,028 9,524,584 9,184,180
Italy 0.184% 0.00085% 6,129,184 102,324,924 97,573,396
Latvia 0.233% 0.00167% 190,916 1,862,000 1,824,356
Lithuania 0.188% 0.00110% 241,240 2,894,388 2,839,712
Luxembourg 0.150% 0.00170% 48,308 843,152 826,924
Malta 0.125% 0.00210% 56,456 785,324 766,872
Netherlands 0.115% 0.00138% 2,095,124 33,387,144 32,520,212
Poland 0.095% 0.00095% 3,099,436 55,970,412 54,803,280
Portugal 0.099% 0.00167% 1,106,964 13,756,904 13,356,636
Romania 0.111% 0.00245% 1,331,804 14,184,688 13,780,236
Slovakia 0.176% 0.00115% 442,660 5,467,060 5,362,208
Slovenia 0.194% 0.00132% 170,464 2,331,344 2,259,820
Spain 0.094% 0.00120% 6,148,056 71,952,800 69,559,316
Sweden 0.099% 0.00198% 783,028 16,449,984 16,213,896
Iceland 0.147% 0.00330% 16,796 449,448 440,140
Liechtenstein 0.173% 0.00158% 2,240 46,528 45,812
Norway 0.070% 0.00175% 434,208 7,785,088 7,678,792
Total EU 0.125% 0.00119% 43,122,024 639,252,636 619,193,772
Total EEA 0.124% 0.00120% 43,575,268 647,533,700 627,358,516