Google Makes Changes to Comply with EU's Digital Markets Act, May Impact Search Results

Google has made changes to its search results and now offers new tools to app developers to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). This includes allowing alternate billing systems.

The DMA identifies Google as a "gatekeeper" - a large platform offering core services like search and app stores. Gatekeepers have obligations and prohibitions to follow under the DMA.

Gatekeepers like Google and Apple need to comply with the DMA by March 7.

The changes may result in sites like hotels, airlines, merchants seeing less traffic compared to aggregators and intermediaries in EU search results.

Analysts remain bullish on Google stock with a consensus "Strong Buy" rating and an average price target implying 24.5% upside potential.