On "Google Gives Sites AI Search Opt-Out, But Not The Data To Use It"

Google's handing out an opt-out button while keeping the actual decision-making information hostage—that's theatrics, not a real choice. Site owners can't intelligently evaluate whether AI training is hurting them because Google won't share the traffic or engagement data that would show the impact. Until that data exists and is accessible, this opt-out is performative compliance, a way to deflect regulation while changing nothing about how most sites operate. The ones who need it most—mid-tier publishers getting commoditized by AI overviews—still can't see the damage.