Reddit May Block Google AI Access As US Publishers Report Search Traffic Drops Up To 85%

According to the Wall Street Journal on July 22, Reddit is considering cutting off Google's access to its content for artificial intelligence training, as major U.S. media outlets report significant declines in search traffic from Google.

USA Today's search traffic from American users dropped by approximately 50% between June 2025 and June 2026, while Business Insider saw a decline exceeding 85%. CNN's traffic fell roughly 25%, and Politico experienced a 23% decrease. The move follows Reddit's 2024 agreement with Google valued at $60 million annually. Publishers including USA Today, Politico, The Economist, People, and Reuters are reassessing their partnerships with Google as AI-generated search results redirect users away from external websites.