Google Updated its Site Reputation Policy, Replacing Abuse Penalties in the EEA

Google has changed how it enforces its Site Reputation policy across the European Economic Area (EEA). The change removes the ranking impact of manual actions for EEA searchers. It took effect on August 30, 2026. 

The update was announced following discussions between Google and the European Commission. A revised approach addresses regulatory concerns while retaining its broader fight against search manipulation. 

The update also affects users in the EEA, including the European Union, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. Searchers outside the EEA will continue to see the existing enforcement approach. 

Manual Penalties Will No Longer Affect EEA Rankings

Google will still issue manual actions for Site Reputation Abuse under the revised system. However, those actions will not directly lower rankings for EEA searchers. Google may instead separate the affected section from the main domain. That particular section can then rank independently based on its own signals. 

The existing manual action system remains active for users outside the EEA. Affected pages can still face ranking consequences in those search results. This approach creates a significant regional difference in how Google handles the same website. A page could therefore perform differently based on the searcher’s location. 

Google also stressed that the policy itself remains in place while the company remains concerned about deceptive tactics that can weaken search quality. 

What Is Site Reputation Abuse or Parasite SEO?

Google introduced its Site Reputation policy in 2024. The policy targets third-party content published on established websites to exploit their ranking signals. This practice is commonly associated with “parasite SEO.” The idea suggests that publishers may host unrelated commercial content because their domains already have strong search visibility. 

Google created the policy to prevent such content from gaining an unfair ranking advantage. The company said the practice can reduce search quality and create poor user experiences. 

Nevertheless, the latest change does not mean Google will stop identifying such practices in Europe. Its systems can still separate questionable sections from the primary website. Those sections may then compete independently against similar content. According to Google, this approach can help prevent a site’s overall reputation from benefiting unrelated content. 

Search Console Notifications Will Still Be There

Website owners will still receive manual action notifications through Google Search Console. They can also submit reconsideration requests if they believe an action was incorrect. Eligible websites can additionally take disputes to mediation after completing the reconsideration process. 

Experts find that the change in Google’s Site Reputation policy specifically concerns manual actions. It does not represent a broader suspension of Google’s spam enforcement in Europe. The policy change follows scrutiny from European regulators under the Digital Markets Act. The European Commission had then raised concerns about the impact of Google’s enforcement on publishers and commercial partner content. 

Google’s updated approach now creates different enforcement outcomes for EEA and non-EEA searchers. Publishers operating globally will therefore need to consider regional differences when monitoring search performance. 

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