{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/google-updates-search-central-doc-with-ai-overview-opt-out-methods","json":"https://digestai.news/story/google-updates-search-central-doc-with-ai-overview-opt-out-methods.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/google-updates-search-central-doc-with-ai-overview-opt-out-methods.md","slug":"google-updates-search-central-doc-with-ai-overview-opt-out-methods","headline":"Google updates Search Central doc with AI Overview opt-out methods","summary":"Google revised its \"Manage content you share on Google Search\" documentation on October 21, adding two rows to the \"How to hide\" table that clarify how site owners can control appearance in AI Overviews and AI modes. The update organizes existing tools rather than launching new features; the settings have been globally available since August 31.\n\nSite-wide control is now managed through Search Console's \"Generative AI in Search\" setting with three options: Include, Exclude, or Inherit from parent. Excluding a site removes it from AI Overviews, AI modes, and generative AI features in Discover, with changes taking effect in 1-2 days. This setting does not affect standard search rankings or remove pages from search.\n\nPage-level control uses robots meta tags (nosnippet, max-snippet), data-nosnippet attributes, and X-Robots-Tag headers. These tags also restrict standard search snippets, potentially reducing click-through rates. Google-Extended in robots.txt remains the separate channel for controlling AI training data, distinct from search display settings. The Japanese version of the documentation has not yet been updated.","keyPoints":["Search Console 'Generative AI in Search' setting lets sites opt out of AI Overviews and AI modes site-wide","Robots meta tags and data-nosnippet control page-level AI display but also affect standard search snippets","Google-Extended in robots.txt separately controls AI training data, not search feature inclusion"],"whyItMatters":"Site owners now have a consolidated reference for choosing between site-wide AI opt-out (preserves standard search) and granular tag controls (affects regular snippets), with training controlled separately via robots.txt.","category":{"slug":"marketing","name":"Marketing & Small Business","url":"https://digestai.news/category/marketing"},"entities":{"companies":["Google"],"models":["Gemini"],"people":[]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-21T19:13:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-21T19:13:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"note.com","title":"Google Organizes Methods to Opt Out of AI Overviews | Site-Wide Settings, Article Parts Hidden via Tags | 10/22","url":"https://note.com/trex_ai/n/n1214119b72fd?hl=en","publishedAt":"2026-10-21T19:13:00Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":{"title":"AI Optimization Race Hits Global Stage","url":"https://digestai.news/thread/semrush-adds-ai-citation-tracking-to-prompt-tracking-tool","storyCount":5},"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Google updates Search Central doc with AI Overview opt-out methods\", 21 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/google-updates-search-central-doc-with-ai-overview-opt-out-methods","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Google updates Search Central doc with AI Overview opt-out methods","datePublished":"2026-10-21T19:13:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/google-updates-search-central-doc-with-ai-overview-opt-out-methods"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}