Google\u2019s AI Opt-Out Conundrum: Publishers Push for Controlled\nAccess<\/p>\n
Reporter<\/p>\n
September 29, 2026 | 06:59 pm<\/p>\n
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The chair of the Indonesian Cyber Media\nAssociation (AMSI), Wahyu Dhyatmika, said Google\u2019s AI opt-out\noption\u2014which forgos content summarization by the search engine\u2019s AI\nSearch function\u2014gives publishers more detailed control, but not without\nconsequences.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is indeed a dilemma faced by publishers worldwide,\u201d he told\nTempo on Thursday, September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n
According to Wahyu, the opt-out control has been available globally\nsince August 31, 2026. Publishers can set preferences so their sites do\nnot contribute to responses generated in AI Overviews, AI Mode, and AI\nOverviews on Google\u2019s smart homepage or the \u201cGoogle Discover.\u201d<\/p>\n
This option does not cause the site to lose ranking on non-AI search\nresults. However, publishers who utilize the opt-out function may lose\n\u201cimpressions\u201d or \u201ctraffic\u201d from this generative AI feature.<\/p>\n
Choosing to opt out, Wahyu said, carries the risk of losing\nvisibility, especially as AI use is growing more rampant among internet\nusers to seek information. \u201cPublishers who are not visible could\npotentially lose discovery, referral traffic, and connection with new\naudience segments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, allowing all content to be used by AI\nunconditionally also poses its own risks. Publishers may lose control\nover the value of their content, given that AI directly summarizes\ninformation without visiting the source site.<\/p>\n
In the long term, this shortcut in information retrieval can\naccelerate the zero-click behavior, when users obtain information\nwithout visiting the publisher\u2019s site. This ultimately erodes traffic\nand ad revenue for the media.<\/p>\n
As discussed in Tempo\u2019s premium report: Mungkinkah Konten Penerbit\nKeluar dari Ringkasan AI Google (Can Publishers Escape Google\u2019s AI\nSummaries?), the decline in visits to news sites due to AI is a growing\nconcern among nations. The UK\u2019s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)\nmandated in June 2026 that Google provide publishers in the country with\ntools to control their content in the AI-based search function.\nPublishers in the UK must also have the option to opt-out of using their\ncontent to train Google\u2019s AI model.<\/p>\n
But publishers need more than blocking or allowing their content for\nAI use, Wahyu said. Companies seek varying levels of control to manage\nusage, attribution, measurement, licensing, and compensation for their\ncontent. \u201cWhat is necessary is a spectrum of control: block, allow,\nattribute, measure, license, and compensate.\u201d<\/p>\n
AMSI pushes Indonesian publishers towards a model of controlled\naccess. Research from the organization recommends the use of structured\n\u201crobots.txt\u201d on each media company\u2019s site. The group also advises\nimplementing AI blockers or Web Application Firewalls (WAF), as well as\nmonitoring click-through rates (CTR) and bot activities.<\/p>\n
To complement these measures, a more advanced framework for licensing\nand publisher rights is a necessity. \u201cThis is important, especially for\nsmall media,\u201d said Wahyu.<\/p>\n
In a number of Global South countries, referring to practices\nobserved by AMSI, small and medium media have more limited technical\nresources. Their bargaining power is also weaker to negotiate\nindividually with AI companies. \u201cTherefore, AMSI sees a growing need for\ncollective infrastructure and collective bargaining.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read: OpenAI Apologizes to Australia over Medicare Hack: What to\nKnow<\/p>\n
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