Turkish media prepares legal action against Google after Discover algorithm update

A wave of undisclosed algorithm updates by Google has caused major traffic fluctuations across news websites worldwide, sparking concerns among digital publishers.

The sudden and unexplained changes in Google Discover and search rankings have led to significant revenue losses, prompting Turkish media organizations to prepare a lawsuit against the tech giant.

Unannounced algorithm update shakes global web traffic

Since August 2024, Google has rolled out multiple core algorithm updates, causing instability in search and traffic.

While previous updates in November and December 2024 began to stabilize in early 2025, a new, unannounced update in late January and February 2025 has once again disrupted website rankings, leading to speculation about a major but undisclosed algorithm shift.

Publishers worldwide, particularly in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Türkiye, have reported dramatic traffic drops in recent weeks.

Many web administrators and digital marketers have voiced concerns over the increasing frequency of Google’s updates, which now appear to occur every few months or even monthly.

This shift has made it challenging for news sites and other web platforms to maintain consistent traffic levels and advertising revenues.

Turkish media prepares legal action against Google

Following the disruptions, multiple Turkish media outlets are reportedly preparing a large-scale lawsuit against Google, alleging unfair competition practices.

According to Turkish media reports, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, has expressed support for local media, stating: “We stand behind you,” encouraging legal action against Google.

Sources indicate that several prominent news organizations in Türkiye are finalizing preparations for the lawsuit, which will focus on Google’s lack of transparency regarding its ranking algorithms and the economic impact of sudden traffic losses.

Before filing, the media groups are expected to release a joint public statement addressing their grievances.

Google’s lack of transparency raises industry concerns

Despite the ongoing disruptions, Google’s official ranking update page still lists December 2024 as the most recent confirmed algorithm change, which lasted seven days and two hours.

However, recent traffic drops observed from late January into February 2025 remain unexplained by the company.

Industry experts have criticized Google’s increasing reliance on artificial intelligence to influence search rankings, arguing that it has led to more unpredictable traffic swings.

The growing uncertainty surrounding search and performance has led publishers to call for clearer communication and greater accountability from Google.

Traffic volatility sparks global debate among publishers

While traffic showed minor recoveries on March 3-4, 2025, data from March 5 indicates another sharp decline for many news sites reliant on Discover and Google News.

The continued fluctuations have raised questions about Google’s policies and whether a fundamental shift in ranking criteria has occurred.

Reports also suggest that Google has privately engaged with selected media outlets to discuss these concerns, though the selection process for these meetings remains unclear.

Many affected publishers remain in the dark about the reasoning behind the drastic changes affecting their visibility and revenues.