Google Tests Removing California News Sites from Search in Response to Proposed Legislation Requiring Payments to Publishers

• Google started removing some California news sites from search results for a small percentage of users as a test of proposed legislation

• The legislation would require Google, Facebook, and Microsoft to pay news publishers for linking to their content

• Google said it will pause new investments and partnerships with California news organizations due to the legislation

• The bill passed the state Assembly last year despite tech industry opposition, but still needs Senate approval

• California has lost over 100 news outlets in the past decade, which the bill aims to address by providing revenue to publishers