Google Changes Search Rules to Avoid EU Fines

May 6, 2026, 16:55
European UnionTechnology

Introduction

Google wants to change its rules about spam. This is because the European Union (EU) is checking how Google treats some websites.

Main Body

The EU has a law to stop big tech companies from having too much power. Some news websites said Google pushed their pages down in search results. Google did this because some sites used bad tricks to look popular. The EU says Google's rules were too strict. This stopped news websites from making money with their partners. The EU thinks this is not fair. Google wants to fix these rules now. If they do not, the EU can take a lot of money from them. Google already paid billions of euros in fines in the past.

Conclusion

Google is waiting for the EU to say if these new rules are okay.

Learning

⚡ The Power of 'Too'

In this story, we see a very important word for beginners: Too.

We use too when something is 'more than we want' or 'more than is okay'. It usually means a problem.

Look at these examples from the text:

  • Too much power →\rightarrow (They have more power than is fair).
  • Too strict →\rightarrow (The rules are more difficult than they should be).

Compare it to 'Very':

  • "The rules are very strict" →\rightarrow (Just a fact. Maybe it's okay).
  • "The rules are too strict" →\rightarrow (This is a problem! We must change it).

🛠️ Simple Action Words (Verbs)

To reach A2, you need to see how we connect people to actions. Notice how the article uses simple patterns:

[Person/Group] + [Action] + [Thing]

  • Google →\rightarrow changes →\rightarrow rules
  • EU →\rightarrow checks →\rightarrow websites
  • Google →\rightarrow paid →\rightarrow fines

Tip: When talking about one company (Google/EU), add an -s to the action word in the present (change →\rightarrow changes).

Vocabulary Learning

search
to look for something by looking around
Example:I will search for the missing keys.
rules
a set of instructions that tell people what they can do
Example:The rules of the game are simple.
law
a rule that everyone must follow
Example:The law says you must wear a seatbelt.
tech
short for technology, tools and machines used to do work
Example:She likes to learn new tech gadgets.
company
a group of people working together to make or sell things
Example:The company makes phones.
money
something people use to buy things
Example:He saved some money for a trip.
fine
a payment you have to make because you broke a rule
Example:He had to pay a fine for speeding.
website
a page on the internet where people can read or buy stuff
Example:I visited a new website today.
pages
the pieces of a book or a website that you read
Example:The pages of the book were torn.
tricks
a clever or dishonest way to do something
Example:He used tricks to get the best deal.