Google Clarifies Robots.txt Only Controls AI Crawling, Not Data Usage
· 2h ago · Originally reported by PPC Land
Google has stated that robots.txt files can restrict AI bots from crawling websites, but do not control how collected data is used. Custom rules and emoji tokens in robots.txt are ignored under RFC 9309, raising questions about the effectiveness of such measures for AI bots like Google-Extended.
Why it matters
This matters because website owners may believe robots.txt can fully protect their content from AI training, but it only limits access, not downstream use of data. Understanding these limitations is crucial for digital publishers and advertisers concerned about data privacy.
Explain it like I’m new here
It's like putting a 'Do Not Enter' sign on your door—robots.txt tells bots not to come in, but if they already have your stuff, you can't control what they do with it.
Terms in this story
Go deeper
Related stories
Google to Enable Default Image Extraction in Performance Max Campaigns
Starting December 4, Google will automatically extract images for new Performance Max campaigns unless advertisers opt out via API tools. Existing campaigns are not affected by this change, but account-level dynamic image settings will no…
Google to Require US and Canadian Financial Advertisers to Verify Licenses in 2027
Google will implement a new policy in 2027 requiring financial advertisers in the US and Canada to prove they hold proper licenses. US banks will be checked against the American Bankers Association registry before their ads are approved…
Platforms Address Creative Fatigue as Ad Performance Declines with Repetition
Creative fatigue occurs when audiences see the same ad too often, leading to reduced effectiveness. Major platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google have systems to detect and flag this issue, though there are ongoing discussions about its…
Google Updates Methods for Keeping Content Out of Search, Adds AI Opt-Out
Google has expanded its list of ways for website owners to prevent their content from appearing in Search results, now including AI-specific opt-out options. The update adds new controls in Search Console and snippet rules, supplementing…
Google Recommends 503 Status for PHP Patching to Preserve Search Indexing
Google has advised website owners to use HTTP 503 status codes, instead of 404, when taking sites offline for PHP patching. This approach ensures that temporarily unavailable pages are not immediately removed from Google's search index.
Google Trends Topic Scores Vary by IP Location, ExpressVPN Study Finds
ExpressVPN reports that Google Trends topic scores differed by IP address in 60% of weekly checks, with only about a third matching across the US, Japan, and India. This raises questions about the reliability of using seasonality data from…