Google Limits News Links In California Over Proposed ‘Link Tax’ Law

Google announced that it plans to reduce access to California news websites for a portion of users in the state. During this test, Google will remove links to California news websites that the proposed legislation could cover. Zaidi states:“To prepare for possible CJPA implications, we are beginning a short-term test for a small percentage of California users. In line with those trends, just 2% of queries on Google Search are news-related.”Despite the low percentage of news queries, Google wants to continue helping news publishers gain visibility on its platforms. As the legislative process continues, Google is willing to cooperate with California publishers and lawmakers to explore alternative paths that would allow it to continue linking to news.