Daily Search Forum Recap: February 17, 2026

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

Google says that enabling a way to opt out of just AI Overviews is a "huge engineering project." Google has this about the results tab in Google Ads recommendations. Google AI Mode ask about feature shows up more often. Google is testing links in recipe AI Overviews. Google AI Overviews are blue and then turn gray on click.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google: Allowing Opting Out Of AI Overviews Is A Huge Engineering Project
  A few weeks ago, we reported Google was exploring ways to allow sites to opt out of showing up in Google's AI features, like AI Mode and AI Overviews. Google's Sulina Connal said at the FT Strategies News in the Digital Age conference that this is a "huge engineering project."
• Google Ads Recommendations Doc About The Results Tab
  There is a new Google Ads help document named About the Results tab in Google Ads Recommendations. It explains that in the Results tab, you can now view the performance impact after you apply them.
• Google AI Mode Ask About Feature Now Triggers On Overlay
  Google AI Mode has this feature where you can ask about a specific product, it is called "Ask about." Now when you hover over a product, the "Ask about" will overlay so you can more easily trigger the feature.
• Google Tests Links In Recipe AI Overviews
  Google seems to be testing links in AI Overviews, that link to more AI Overview responses. These recipe AI Overviews linked to entities that then load a hybrid knowledge panel with an AI Overviews.
• Google AI Overviews Have Blue Links Before Click & Gray After Click
  Did you know that the Google AI Overviews link citation paperclip icons are blue before you click to see more of the overviews and then after you click on them, that icon turns to a gray color.
• Google Jungle Lobby Area
  Here is a photo I think I must have shared before, but this is a new version from the Google DeepMind office in Mountain View, California of the jungle gym and art installation.

Other Great Search Threads:

• ChatGPT Has Pivoted Away From Using Google's Index, Jason Kilgore
• Oh wow... @glenngabe has some new evidence showing ChatGPT is citing non-canonical URLs (after those same URLs appeared in Google search) Yet another clue that ChatGPT is (still) likely scraping Google to generate answers, Lily Ray on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Google Ads tool is automatically re-enabling paused keywords
• How to work with your SEO agency to drive better results, faster

Other Great Search Stories:

AI & LLMs

• 7 Steps for Tracking Your ChatGPT Visibility With Ahrefs, Ahrefs
• EU Parliament blocks AI features over cyber, privacy fears, POLITICO
• Google puts users at risk by downplaying health disclaimers under AI Overviews, The Guardian
• Microsoft: LLM attack can sway contracts. Creator: maybe yes, The Stack
• OpenAI Retires Controversial 4o AI Model, Angering Loyal Users, Bloomberg
• Owning the AI Pareto Frontier — Jeff Dean, Latent.Space
• Should I Create Markdown Pages For LLMs And AI Search? FFS.., Nikki Pilkington
• The science of how AI pays attention, Kevin Indig

Analytics

• Fathom, a privacy-first GA4 alternative, adds Google Search Console (GSC) integration, Coywolf

Industry & Business

• Android users could get up to $100 in $135M Google settlement, USA Today
• Anthropic opens Bengaluru office and announces new partnerships across India, Anthropic
• California’s billionaires pour cash into elections as big tech seeks new allies, The Guardian
• Google promises 'more focused deals' as FT joins AI pilot, Press Gazette

Links & Content Marketing

• How B2B Brands Reinforce Trust During Decision-Making Moments, TopRank Marketing
• We Analyzed 8,000 Content Marketing Job Listings: The Shift from Writing to Ownership, Semrush
• Your messaging isn’t converting. Here’s how to fix it., SALT.agency

Local & Maps

• Android Auto 16.3 update arrives with hints of video apps, 9to5Google
• Google hasn't forgotten about video apps for Android Auto, Android Authority
• Google Slips, TikTok Local Feed, Ads Not AIOs, Social Media on Trial, Near Media

SEO

• How Long to Rank in Google Search? What to Expect in 2026, Peak Lora
• How answering People Also Ask questions correlates with organic rankings (Study), AlsoAsked
• Rel Canonical Is Just A Hint – A Reminder That Google Can Make Its Own Decision (And That Decision Can Cascade To ChatGPT And Other AI Platforms) – Case Studies, GSQI
• Strategic SEO Starts With Content Strategy, Level343

PPC

• AI Is Magnifying Google and Meta’s Edge in Ads, The Information
• Google Shifts Lookalike Segments to Suggestion Mode, PPC News Feed
• Is Google Ads Fighting You? 5 "Limited" Warnings Explained, Jyll Saskin Gales
• When to Vibe Code, When to Use Scripts, and When to Use a PPC Platform, Optmyzr

Feedback:

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