This week, we covered how Google for the second time dodged being broken up, this time over its ad tech monopoly. Google AI Overviews are expanding by default, making them more like AI Mode. Gemini 3.8 Flash is now powering AI Mode but it seems it is not linking or citing much at all. Content is disappearing from the Google News tab for some reason. Google said it does not penalize for old crusty links that may later link to shady content. Google spoke more about using the disavow link tool. Google Search Console’s AI performance reports and AI controls have been globally rolled out. Google confirmed its search spam teams are still actively fighting spam. Google Trends now lets you filter by pre-defined categories. Google is testing verifying searchers are human through a delayed continue button. Google Discover was not loading for a period of time this week. Google posted details on its European search dataset licensing program. I posted the monthly Google webmaster report. Bing is testing search results without site names in the snippet. Microsoft is forcing Copilot users to login, but not within Bing Search. Google is working on a fix for a Local Service Ads bug. Google AdSense will soon use Begin-to-Render impression measurements. Google Business Profiles test business photos for verification. Microsoft Advertising is rolling out a new design preview. Google Analytics was buggy as well, missing days of data. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.
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Search Topics of Discussion:
- 0:00 - Introduction
- 0:51 - Judge Rules Google Ad Tech Business Won't Be Broken Up
- 1:56 - Google AI Overviews Pushing Searchers Into AI Mode, Drops Show More Button
- 3:18 - Google Search Using Gemini 3.8 Flash In AI Mode
- 3:47 - Google AI Mode Gemini 3.8 Flash Not Link / Citation Friendly?
- 4:47 - Publishers Noticing Google News Tab Content Disappearing
- 6:06 - Google: We Don't Penalize For Old Outbound Links With Shady Content
- 6:59 - Google: The Disavow Tool Does Have Effects
- 7:38 - Global: Google Search Console AI Performance Report & AI Control
- 8:00 - Google Confirms Search Spam Team Is Fighting & Well Resourced
- 8:17 - Google Trends Explore Page Adds Category Filtering
- 8:53 - Google: Verifying Your Request To Continue To Search Results
- 9:19 - Google Discover Not Loading Or Loading Slowly
- 9:41 - Google European Search Dataset Licensing Program Details
- 10:07 - September 2026 Google Webmaster Report
- 10:20 - Bing Tests Search Result Snippets Without Site Names
- 10:30 - Microsoft Forcing Copilot Users To Login But Not For Copilot Search Answers
- 10:52 - Google Working On Fixing Local Service Ads Bug
- 11:25 - Google AdSense Begin-to-Render Impression Measurement Coming
- 11:57 - New Google Business Profiles Submit A Business Photo For Verification
- 12:15 - Microsoft Advertising New Updated Design Preview
- 12:38 - Google Analytics September 1 Data Missing
- 12:49 - Conclusion
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