In early 2024, Google changed how location searches appear in the European Union (EU).
This change comes because of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a new law aiming to make the tech market fairer for smaller companies.
Now, when people in the EU search for places on Google, the maps they see in the results are no longer clickable.
Also, direct links to Google Maps have been removed. The “Maps” tab at the top of the search page, which used to open Google Maps, has also disappeared.
The DMA wants Google to give users more choices and let them easily switch between different map services. This rule helps smaller companies like HERE WeGo and OpenStreetMap get a better chance to grow.
Google says it made tough decisions to follow the DMA, even though these changes might make things harder for users and businesses that rely on Google’s integrated map features.
Some users say they find it less convenient to use maps from search results now.
