Google embargo is harming journalism
Nine online news outlets have issued a statement against Google's practices that have significantly reduced their reader traffic, emphasizing that these actions are causing irreversible damage to their financial structures. In the responses to their call, the importance of solidarity was strongly highlighted.
News Service
Nine independent online news outlets in Turkey have issued a joint statement against Google’s practices, which have significantly reduced reader traffic to news websites. The publishers warned that Google-induced traffic losses pose a risk of causing irreversible financial damage to their media structures.
Since late January, reader traffic from Google’s ‘Discover’ and ‘News’ tools has dropped by up to 98% for many news websites. A similar situation occurred in October 2024 and lasted for about a month. Most recently, Gazete Duvar announced its closure, citing Google-induced traffic losses as one of the contributing factors. The statement, signed by Artı Gerçek, BirGün, Diken, Ekonomim, Gazete Pencere, Kısa Dalga, Medyascope, T24, and İlke TV, emphasized: “This ‘new’ internet news ecosystem, where those ignored by Google constitute the majority, makes it harder for the public to access news.”
WAVE OF SUPPORT
The statement received widespread support from various segments of society, with many underscoring the importance of solidarity with independent media outlets. BirGün Executive Board President İbrahim Aydın urged readers to bypass Google’s restrictions by visiting news websites directly: "Dear readers, to counter Google’s hidden censorship of opposition media, enter the web address of the news site you want to read directly into your browser. You can access BirGün’s news at birgun.net."
BirGün Web Coordinator Berkant Gültekin highlighted the gravity of the situation: "Nine media outlets, including BirGün, have issued a joint statement against Google’s embargo. As the statement was being prepared, Gazete Duvar shut down—validating exactly what we were warning about. The public needs to understand the seriousness of this matter."
Journalist Ozan Gündoğdu framed the issue in a broader context: "We are entering a new era—the era of technology oligarchs. The old 19th-century media model, funded solely by advertisements and consumed almost for free, can no longer survive. If readers, listeners, or viewers do not financially support independent media, it will cease to exist."
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure responded to a parliamentary inquiry by CHP Sivas MP Ulaş Karasu regarding Google’s traffic embargo. The ministry stated: "Google representatives have informed us that no website has been specifically targeted or favored in the algorithm changes. However, discussions with Google officials on this matter are ongoing."
During a parliamentary session, CHP Ankara MP Okan Konuralp criticized the impact of Google's changes on press freedom: "Gazete Duvar was forced to shut down largely due to Google’s algorithm changes. This decision is a direct consequence of Google’s interference with the public’s right to access news. Google’s algorithm change is an explicit embargo against truth. To counter this, we must urgently enact a democratic digital copyright law that aligns with universal press freedom principles. I call on everyone to access news directly from the websites they follow, instead of relying on Google, and to break this hidden embargo."
GOOGLE: ‘WE ARE NOT DOING IT INTENTIONALLY’
The statement by independent media outlets was covered by Reuters, which quoted an unnamed Google representative saying: "We are not doing this intentionally." However, Google has not provided an explanation for why this situation has occurred.
