Google has formally appealed the European Commission's July decision requiring it to share search data with rival engines and grant competing AI assistants deeper access to Android, arguing that the measures could undermine user privacy and device security.
The appeal, filed with the EU's General Court in Luxembourg, marks the latest confrontation between the tech giant and Brussels under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the bloc's flagship regulation aimed at curbing the power of dominant digital platforms.
Oliver Bethell, Google's senior director for competition, said in a statement: "We're appealing decisions that will force us to share people's private search history without sufficient anonymisation and weaken vital security protections on Android."
The Commission's order, announced in July, requires Google to begin sharing search data from January 2027 to "rebalance the playing field" for smaller search engines. Changes to Android are scheduled for next year, giving rival AI assistants access to features currently reserved for Google's own services, such as Gemini. Users would be able to activate a competing assistant by voice or ask it to perform tasks across other apps.
Google contends that Android is already open to third-party services and that the search data requirements lack adequate safeguards, user knowledge, and consent. Bethell emphasised the sensitivity of the data involved: "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."
The Commission, however, maintains that the measures include protections for privacy and security. It said search data would be anonymised before sharing, and Google could assess whether a recipient posed serious security or data protection risks.
Broader regulatory context
This appeal is part of a wider pattern of friction between US tech firms and EU regulators. The DMA, which came into force in 2023, designates certain platforms as "gatekeepers" and imposes obligations on them to ensure fair competition. Google has already faced multiple investigations and fines under the regulation.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of search and AI in Europe. If the court sides with the Commission, Google will have to open up its data and Android ecosystem to competitors, potentially reshaping the digital landscape. If it sides with Google, the Commission's enforcement of the DMA could be weakened.
Legal experts note that the General Court's ruling could take years, and either side may appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union. Meanwhile, the Commission is also pursuing other cases against Apple, Meta, and other tech giants under the DMA.
The dispute also intersects with broader debates about AI regulation and data privacy in Europe. As the EU develops its AI Act, the question of how to balance innovation with fundamental rights remains contentious. The Commission has argued that opening up access to data and services is essential to foster competition and consumer choice, while critics warn of unintended consequences.
For now, the immediate impact is limited: Google will continue to operate as before until the court rules. But the case underscores the growing tension between European regulators and American tech companies, a theme that resonates across the continent, from Berlin to Paris to Warsaw.
