Google Search to Redirect all Users to google.com Globally
Google has announced that, in the coming months, all users of Google Search will be redirected to google.com, regardless of their country. The change means that country-specific websites, such as google.ng for Nigeria or google.ie for Ireland, will no longer be needed. This shift is a result of improvements Google has made in its ability to offer localized results across all users, regardless of which domain they are using.
Why the Change Is Happening
For years, Google used country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) to provide users with region-specific results. However, the company has developed its search algorithms to a point where users, no matter their location, receive the same localized search experience. Since 2017, users have been getting local results whether they accessed Google via their country-specific domain or google.com.
Despite the change, Google assures that the search experience will remain the same. The shift will only affect the address bar in users’ browsers, not the way the search engine functions. Google emphasized that nothing about how it handles national laws or search results will change as a result of this update.
Google’s Dominance and Ongoing Legal Challenges
The change comes in the wake of several significant events, including a major leak of internal Google documents in 2024. These documents, which were analyzed by experts, shed light on the company’s search algorithms, leading to debates about how transparent Google really is regarding how its search engine works.
In 2024, Google also faced a U.S. antitrust lawsuit, which resulted in the company being declared a monopoly. One of the judge’s key findings was that Google’s “default distribution” securing exclusive contracts to be the default search engine on various devices gave it a substantial advantage over its competitors.
In response to the European Union’s regulations, such as the Digital Markets Act, Google has made updates to its search functions in Europe. These changes, however, have reportedly benefited larger online platforms, including travel aggregators and comparison sites, rather than smaller retailers, airlines, and hotels. Nonetheless, Google maintains that these updates do not interfere with its search operations or obligations under national laws.
