Google has shut down its page annotations feature following controversy around the functionality. This feature allowed Google to automatically add links to content that website owners did not create themselves, directing users back to Google Search.
Google has completely removed the Page Annotations feature from the "control what you share with Google" documentation. According to official documentation, "The Page Annotations feature is no longer available."
How Page Annotations Worked
The now-discontinued feature operated specifically within the iOS Google app. When users browsed web pages using the Google App native browser, the system would:
- Extract what Google deemed "interesting entities" from webpages
- Highlight these entities directly in the content
- Create clickable links that would redirect users to more Google search results
Website owners had criticized the feature for essentially "hijacking" their content by inserting links they hadn't created and redirecting traffic back to Google's ecosystem rather than allowing users to remain on the original site.
The complete shutdown of this feature marks a significant reversal for Google following feedback from content creators and publishers.
