Google SERP AI Overviews: Content Theft or Fair Use?

I did a quick search for personal reasons this morning and this is the SERPs. Why would anyone bother going to the source site?

HOW IS THIS EVEN LEGAL?

If we don't get angry and do something about this then kiss goodbye to organic!

This is wholesale theft of content and I for one did not consent for Google to use it. It's not even disguised as being AI spun content!!!

Edit: Someone can argue ownership of copyrights based on creation but with the ability to edit EXIF data, backdate dates on WordPress etc, your only assured rights to anything is through an official filing with description of use for the works you put in public domain

Anything you put on a public domain (IE: a set of files ANYONE can access), is not owned by you, unless it is copy-written, patented, or trademarked and even then if a product

Tell me you don't understand how the internet works without telling me.....

is not for profit, like Google Search, it can still be used

They link to the source right after the sentence...

That’s not theft that’s a compliment

specific question that can be answered in one or two sentences, why should someone come to your site anyway? The trick is to write content that Google promotes in those featured areas of the SERPs that sparks a readers interest to learn more from your site so that they click on the link that Google is providing to your site.

I don't think you understand what the Google AI overview is or what the featured snippet is. If you find yourwebsite in either of those areas, it means Google is promoting your content and finds it helpful. If you're writing content that only answers a

There are a lot of negative comments to this post but I think

has a really valid point. The objective of SEO is not just to get that no.1 spot, it’s to get the no.1 and then to bring that relevant organic traffic to your website where you

can work on creating value from them. Without that crucial transition to your website, what chance do you have of creating value for your business/client?

Paul Tranter

They link the sources on it on the bottom, Google isn't stealing or really even making content, they are just taking whats provided and placing it in front of you...

Google could and should do a better job of crediting the author. You really have to work to figure out who is the author of the information. This is a class action lawsuit for plagiarism waiting to happen, which I am sure google knows.

Expect to see some class actions in the near future

Under EU/UK law this may well be classed as breaching IP rights as what is allowed is 'fair use', and I'd certainly be able to construct an argument that this is not 'fair'.

You should be happy google AI thinks your content is good enough to mention it.

I agree. It's theft.

Lol bro, delete this while you still have time

Your question is genuine, and I had the same thought: why would someone visit my site when they get the answer in the overview? Isn't this method killing traffic?

You should try the koray framework

Yes. Its a theft... but its a capitalist world.

It’s not theft . You agreed for google to use data when you signed up in google search console , if you don’t want you. An delete your domain on google search console

Are you serious?

SEOs are currently scrambling to learn AEO, which gets their content chosen to show in this area.

Wow. You’re new to the Internet.

Think about YouTube though unlike Netflix who have to make the content you tube gets you to make the content and they merely host the content. What a great business model when your not paying for countent just hosting!!!

This has to be a joke.

Nobody in the SEO game would be saying this. Good one, though

Google is screwing all of us with web business... I am on page 1 in top 3 and now no traffic.

Adnan Sakib

see, SEO will never die.

So we go from 10 possible results on the first page to 1 compiled result and sponsored links. It is most definitely affecting people's traffic. It essentially eliminates the small guys from even attempting anymore.

IMO, it is all about intent. If someone is searching for "specialized kenevo serial number" are they searching with the intent to buy a bike or bring business to you? Or were they searching with the intent that they already have a Specialized bike and

You have to consider if they were looking to purchase, they would not be able to find what they wanted directly in the AIO. They would be forced to click through to your site and find what they needed.

I would not encourage the use of coding on your site to block AI. Doing so will literally turn you into a Sears & Roebuck marketing story. (The retail giant that fell because they thought the internet was just a fad and stuck to only paper catalogs.)

I suggest setting up some behavioral analytics to track your traffic to determine what type of intent is bringing in your traffic and optimize for that. Let AI do what it is going to do and, most importantly...go with the flow.

wanted to locate the serial number?

Maybe it's bold to say "SEO is dead", but it's definitely changing drastically. It's basically AI talking to AI (AI generated SEO writing for google's AI powered algorithm)

For site owners and SEO agencies this is a nightmare since there will no longer be a need to click anywhere since you can actually ask follow-up questions to this generated response.

The AI in fact blends in results from multiple sites to generate a response. The Pros are for users.

https://youtu.be/dVsiusLQy5Q?si=mW-AKuLNI4p5t5rb

The goal is for the SERP to rebalance itself to : AI gen, paid, with a sprinkle of organic results.

This is Google's SGE (search generative experience)and it's been around since last September... Slowly coming out of beta and replacing search results.

ICYM

Bro if you think this is bad you might as well pack it up and go home. Hang up your SEO hat because you neither understand theft nor how to lean into this to your advantage. You’re cooked

What the heck do you think ChatGPT gets all its info??

How is this theft? If you didn’t want your article to be indexed by Google you can set it up that way. If you do want it to be indexed so that you show up prominently in the SERPs then you are willing a participant in however they want to distribute it. 

Also, you did opt to allow it when you published it on the Internet. You even encouraged Google to come and consume the data. You can't just change your mind because they're not using it the way you thought it would be used.

I sympathise with the OP on this one. The distribution of clicks between the top 3 results is widening to the point that it’s almost impossible to generate clicks beyond the top 3 results for some searches. Not to mention the other rich snippets that

come into play alongside news and product feeds. This is a huge change from the Google of the previous eras.

It’s an AI summary of the overall content found, but I understand where you’re coming from. It does seem counterproductive and lowers CTR for sites

Are there any bot blockers out there? Almost like a CAPTCHA for the entire site that will only allow humans in.

You should be happy google is doing this look to the right they referenced your ass as THE source.

Are you looking for something to get mad about today?

You are doing great, Paul I want you to know that. I wish this kinda thing to some of the new pages i posted.

ZERO CLICK CONTENT CONTENT: 60% OF SEARCHES THIS YEAR. Next year will be worse.

Let's be real here. Complaining about it is all you can do. Well, you could noindex your robots txt but that doesn't do you any good. You could file a lawsuit but yeah, you're probably going to lose. Or, you wait things out and revamp when people start

to figure out AI results like they have Google results. AI is changing the SEO landscape. The AI lava flow is burning down the way we've done things for years. Patience Danielson. There's going to be Mr. Miagis of AI in the coming years.

Question is, without the AI response, the answer still showed up in the PAA section, so would not have been any reason to go to the site.

Unless you are just serving ads and have

Also, if that was their only question, why do you want them on your site?

no commercial intent.

Also, your site is credited both in the little linky icon and on the right side if they really are wanting more information.

If you don't want them to use your content, you should no index your site

Raheel Mansab

We should all learn and teach to research something and add -AI (e.g. SEO tools -AI).

2 months ago they were "stealing" it without crediting sites. At least now they credit the site.

It literally says "AI Overview".

That's all AI is, just a content scraping rewriter....

Yes...yes...but the shares are up, so that's all there is to it.

It's a snippet of information from the manufacturer website. It's not copyright infringement and if you can't add more value to your content than a snippet from the manufacturer website, you should reevaluate your own content production.

You're right. You should block Google from your site.

Nothing you can do about it.

way to exploit it to our benefit.

Don't worry, Google will be sued into the 2040's after Christmas. You think we are the only one's taking notice? Their stealing from bigger billion dollar company's too. You can bet this is all going to court. In the mean time, we need to figure out a

The source of the content is still credited, which positions your website as an authority. Users who need more context or details will still visit your site. Those are the visitors who are most likely to engage deeply with your content.

Why would a user need to click on a link, load a webpage, and be

forced to view ads for a solution they could get in seconds with one or two sentences? This approach respects their time and removes unnecessary friction.

When people search for something, they want quick and accurate answers. Showing helpful information directly in the search results saves time and creates a better experience for users.

The way people consume information is changing. By meeting users where they are and focusing on creating valuable content, you build trust and strengthen your brand. This is an opportunity to adapt and focus on providing what users need.

Seo will die, sorry

The walled garden became a walled planet

I see it as a man who did really great SEO work.

You're not doing well up there bud

2024

I’m copyrighting this entire thread.

You can always noindex

65% of search no longer leads to a click. SEO is dead or soon will be.

Add no index tag on your site to avoid this illegal activity

Lol

They own the platform, it works differently on other search engines - however, they have the right to display the information in whatever way they see fit, unfortunately.

the underlying content, which is a novel reuse of the originating content - that is why they link the source.

This has already been litigated and won by Google and all the documentation regarding SERPs and copyright is easily searched. The main precedent stemmed from Google images using thumbnails. In short, Google argues their function is to direct people to

Welcome to capitalism

Organic SEO is already kissed goodbye

it's done this for years. when you scroll down I'm sure you'll find a couple of drop downs where they answer questions too by taking content from websites.

This is not theft.

HAHAHA if you click it, it will redirect to that website

It’s an AI snippet.

You are right they forgot to theft and rewrite with a similarity level inferior of 10% >>> the basic

Specialized.com

feel as strongly as you do. They’re concerned with selling bikes, not “traffic”. And no one searching for where to find the serial number of a bike (that they already own) is in the market to buy another ~$10k bike.

I doubt the owners of

That is not exactly TM'd wording nor is it specialize at all. It is a basic description of where the numbers are and nothing special about it.

You are bit late, people including me have already said Goodbye to Organic. Not surprised, Google is being questioned to monopolize the system.

cry about it, you can literally block your website in google index in google search console, especially you are using their platform for free.

file a lawsuit against Google for $1 billion... then after that read Google's policy and then keep on dreaming

I agree.

AI can just pull up people's content and searchers won't even bother visiting a site once they have gotten the answers they wanted.

How is this even legal

But the death or organic high quality results started with CPC, then Google local, then AI displayed results.

I noticed yesterday there was an entire page of sponsored results!

I'm just to the point I'm ready to scroll through a page of AI and sponsored results.

I agree, but I'm afraid that ship sailed years ago and people shrugged.

I'm waiting for the next global search engine to take over till I do SEO, idc if it takes years at this point

more or less, SEO is compliance to woke totalitarian power.

You’re lucky to have a link included at the end. It didn’t have to do that.

It is referenced as having been sourced and when you click the link associated with it, the site pops up on the right. It’s very legal, unfortunately. It’s rly not any different than the snippets that have always been in place but they just now don’t

have the link above the snippet and instead have the link icon.

Hmm, that's how ai search works.

It’s over.

I think google is trying to provide users with the most relevant information.

the manufacturer is probably delighted to have a zero click result using info from their FAQ for the search term ‘specialized kenevo serial number’

Google search sucks ! Forget about Google and go social media ! Google is using you content for them to make money. Never ... but never use Google again !

2.

I’m not in love with google but we need to acknowledge the following for starters:

1. They are mentioning source with the link, which is legally fine.

The moment you put google script for their crawler to crawl your site, you give them consent to use your content for discovery purposes

Lol did you not see the part where they directly linked to your content?

It's not Google's job to get you clicks. It's Google's job to get quick solutions to searchers.

It could always be anybody else's stuff but yours being "stolen" (SEEN).

And like another person said on here: just be grateful that Google is picking you up in the first place, dawg.

Put less energy into your ego, and more energy into providing what your readers truly need, which are short solutions and quick solutions.

If you want clicks, then run ads.

They cited it

If that is the case, try steal it too

expense of us all while we make them insanely rich off our hard work. Capitalism at its finest.

Google, OpenAI, etc all used copyrighted materials, but Goliath is huge and David is just a little blogger. The only way to protect your work is via a large legal team or putting it behind a paywall. Otherwise the Goliaths will keep stealing at the