In a concerning move, Google has introduced Page Annotations, a feature that injects links directly onto website content.

These links would not normally appear on a page and are not placed on the page by content creators. Rather, they use the Google App on iOS to direct users from the website they’re visiting back to Google’s search results page. 

This practice undermines the integrity of the web, negatively impacts webmasters, and prioritizes Google’s interests over the hard work of content creators.

As webmasters and content creators, we pour countless hours into creating high-quality, engaging, and valuable content. Our websites are built to educate, inspire, and serve users. However, Page Annotations strip away the autonomy of our platforms, diverting traffic away from our content and back to Google's ecosystem. This not only reduces our ability to sustain our work but also compromises the user experience.

Why This Matters:

• Loss of Website Traffic: Page Annotations encourage users to leave the content they’re engaging with, diminishing website traffic and reducing ad revenue and other income streams for creators.
  
  
• Violation of Web Integrity: By embedding links that direct users back to Google, it is effectively imposing its agenda on independent websites, undermining the independence and authenticity of the web.
  
  
• Harm to Small Businesses and Creators: For many small businesses and content creators, traffic is critical. Losing visitors to these links disproportionately affects those who rely on their websites to generate leads, sales, or awareness.
  
  
• Conflict of Interest: Google positions itself as a steward of the internet, but Page Annotations reflect a concerning shift where it acts in its own interest, further consolidating its dominance at the expense of webmasters.

What We Demand from Google:

• Immediately halt the rollout of Page Annotations.
  
  
• Engage with webmasters, content creators, and other stakeholders to address concerns and seek solutions that do not harm independent websites.
  
  
• Reaffirm its commitment to an open, fair, and user-centric web, where creators have control over their platforms and their content.

Google must remember that its success is built on the vibrant, diverse ecosystem of websites it indexes. Dismantling the trust and sustainability of this ecosystem will hurt both creators and the users who rely on the richness of the open web.

Sign this petition to stand against Google's Page Annotations and demand fair treatment for webmasters and content creators. Let’s protect the integrity of the web and ensure that all creators have a fair chance to thrive. Together, we can hold Google accountable for prioritizing the open web over monopolistic practices.

Special thanks to Anthony Higman (@anthonyhigman) of AdSquire for the help on this.

#StopPageAnnotations