SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The chief executive of People magazine’s parent company launched a scathing attack on Google Thursday, accusing the tech giant of systematically stealing content while holding publishers hostage through its dominant search position.
Neil Vogel, CEO of People Inc., didn’t mince words during his appearance at a major technology conference. He branded Google a “bad actor” for what he described as deceptive practices that force media companies into an impossible choice – allow their content to be scraped for AI training or lose critical search engine traffic.
The heart of Vogel’s complaint centers on Google’s web crawler technology. According to the media executive, Google uses a single crawler that serves dual purposes – indexing websites for search results and harvesting content to train artificial intelligence models. Publishers who attempt to block the AI data collection would simultaneously cut themselves off from Google search, a move that could prove fatal for most digital media businesses.
“You cannot take our content to compete with us,” Vogel declared, articulating a frustration that’s been building across the publishing industry as AI companies increasingly rely on copyrighted material to build their systems. The statement reflects growing tensions between traditional media companies and Silicon Valley giants over who profits from journalism in the digital age.
The financial impact on People Inc. has been dramatic. Vogel revealed that Google’s share of incoming traffic to their properties has plummeted from 65% to somewhere in the “high 20s” in recent years. This massive shift has forced the company to completely reimagine its digital strategy and find alternative ways to reach audiences.
Despite the challenges, People Inc. has managed to adapt and even thrive. Vogel emphasized that his company has successfully grown both its audience and revenue despite the reduced reliance on Google traffic. This resilience suggests that publishers may be finding ways to reduce their dependence on the search giant, though the transition hasn’t been painless.
In response to what he sees as predatory behavior, Vogel announced that People Inc. is now utilizing Cloudflare’s protective solutions to block unauthorized AI crawlers from accessing their content. The move represents a growing trend among publishers who are taking technical measures to protect their intellectual property from being used without compensation.
The media executive drew a sharp distinction between Google and other AI companies. He specifically praised OpenAI as a “good actor,” noting that People Inc. has already struck a content licensing deal with the ChatGPT maker. This contrast highlights how some tech companies are choosing to negotiate with publishers while others appear to be taking a more aggressive approach.
Industry observers see Vogel’s comments as part of a broader reckoning between content creators and technology platforms. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince, speaking at the same conference, predicted that mounting pressure might force Google to begin paying content creators within the next year. Such a shift would represent a fundamental change in how the internet’s largest search engine operates.
The dispute also reflects deeper questions about the future of digital publishing. As AI systems become increasingly sophisticated at summarizing and presenting information, publishers worry that users will have less reason to visit their websites directly. This could devastate advertising revenues and subscription models that many media companies depend on for survival.
Other media executives are echoing Vogel’s concerns. Janice Min, another prominent industry figure, recently described tech companies as “content kleptomaniacs” for their practice of using journalism without adequate compensation. The chorus of criticism suggests that publishers may be preparing for a more unified stand against what they see as unfair practices.
