Google tells sites their site reputation manual actions no longer apply in the EEA
Google has started emailing sites that had a site reputation abuse manual action, saying the penalty no longer affects results for searchers in the European Economic Area.
Published 10 November 2026
What happened
Search Engine Land reported on 5 November 2026 that Google is sending emails and Search Console messages to sites that were affected by site reputation abuse manual actions. The message says the old manual action will no longer affect results shown to users in the EEA.
The policy change itself took effect on 30 August 2026, after Google announced it on 28 August following discussions with the European Commission. Outside the EEA, the manual action still demotes the affected part of a site.
What site reputation abuse is
It’s when a trusted website hosts third-party content, often about things like casinos or payday loans, to borrow the site’s ranking power. It’s sometimes called parasite SEO. Google introduced the policy in March 2024.
Does this matter to a UK business?
The UK isn’t in the EEA, so searchers here still see the manual action applied. If you run a site that hosts content from other businesses, such as sponsored articles or coupon sections, the policy still applies to UK results in full.
What to do
If you get one of these emails, read it alongside your Search Console manual actions report. And if you rent space on your site to other businesses, check that the arrangement doesn’t fall under the policy.
How to check your own site
Open Google Search Console and look at the Manual actions report under Security and manual actions. If there’s no manual action listed, this change doesn’t affect you. If there is one, the report says which part of the site it covers, so you can see exactly which section is being demoted.
Because UK searchers still see the demotion, a UK business with a manual action should treat it as fully in force.
If you host other people’s content
Coupon sections, sponsored posts and ‘partner’ pages are where this usually comes up. Ask yourself whether the content would be on your site if nobody was paying for it, and whether you check it the way you check your own pages. If the honest answer is no, it’s worth reviewing before it becomes a problem.
Background
Site reputation abuse has been one of Google’s named spam policies since March 2024. This change is about where the manual action applies, not the policy itself.
Next step
For most small business sites, there’s nothing to do. Our guides cover the basics in more detail, and you can send us an enquiry if you’d like us to look at your site.
Sources
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