Google removed a Search Engine Land article (Report: Clickout Media turned news sites into AI gambling hubs, published March 26) from its search results after a copyright complaint (that appears, to us, to be entirely false). Meanwhile, a similar DMCA filing led to the takedown of the original Press Gazette investigation.
What happened. A DMCA notice filed March 27 claimed Search Engine Land copied content “word for word” and used proprietary images.
- The complaint led Google to begin removing the article from search results globally.
- The notice identified the complainant as “US Webspam,” with no clear public attribution.
The context. The removed article reported that Clickout Media allegedly used expired or acquired domains to publish AI-generated gambling content.
The claim details. Here’s the message we received via Google Search Console on March 27:
Description of claim: The infringing news website has blatantly and willfully violated copyright law by copying our entire content word for word, including all images, which are solely owned by our company. This includes the complete replication of our original written material, as published on our official website, along with the proprietary visuals accompanying it. Despite multiple good-faith efforts to resolve this matter amicably, the infringing party (hereinafter referred to as “Infringer”) continues to unlawfully publish and distribute our copyrighted content without permission. This is a direct and flagrant breach of our rights and a clear violation of Google’s copyright policies. We hereby demand the immediate removal of this infringing material from Google search results to protect our intellectual property.
You can read the DMCA complaint here.
What doesn’t add up. The Search Engine Land article contains no images, contradicting the complaint. Also:
- A search of its text shows no evidence of copied content.
- The notice claims “multiple good-faith efforts” to resolve the issue, but no outreach was received before filing.
- The complaint was submitted one day after publication.
What Google says. Google’s standard policy is to remove content upon receiving a valid copyright complaint, with an option for publishers to file a counter notice. The company has not commented on this specific case.
Why we care. This shows how DMCA takedowns can be weaponized to suppress reporting, including coverage of search spam and site reputation abuse. Legitimate content can be temporarily removed from search results due to unverified claims, and the resolution can take weeks or longer.
What’s next. We’ll watch whether this article is DMCA’d and removed, along with the Press Gazette’s, and anyone else covering the story.
Reactions. Here’s some reaction from X:
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