Important SEO and PPC Updates: What Did the Second Half of January 2025 Bring?

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The second half of January 2025 brought significant updates to the online marketing landscape that will impact SEO and PPC strategies. Search engines continue to innovate their algorithms and advertising platforms introduce new features, opening up opportunities for marketers to reach their target audiences more effectively. Marketers should closely monitor these changes and incorporate them into their strategies to stay competitive and take full advantage of the opportunities that new trends bring.

Google rejects EU call for fact-checking in search and on YouTube
Google has opposed European Union demands to business owner data introduce fact-checking in search and on YouTube, effectively defying new rules to combat disinformation.

Google has refused to implement fact-checking mechanisms as required by the EU, arguing that its existing content moderation tools are sufficient for the purpose. The decision challenges emerging EU legislation on digital services, specifically the requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Google has reportedly told the European Union that it will not add fact-checking to its search results or YouTube videos, and will not use it to influence the ranking of results or remove content.

This stance is in direct conflict with new EU rules that seek to actively combat the spread of misinformation online. In a letter to Renate Nikolay of the European Commission, Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, said that fact-checking is “not appropriate or effective” for the services Google provides. Google’s move raises questions about the effectiveness of the new European regulations and their enforcement against big tech companies.