Tuta Mail says search ranking "miraculously" restored after public legal threat against Google

Google Search reigns supreme as the gateway to the online world. Its algorithms, designed to deliver the most relevant results to users, hold immense power over the visibility and success of businesses online. However, recent events surrounding Tuta, a leading encrypted email provider, have raised questions about the fairness and transparency of Google’s search practices.

In early March 2024, Tuta experienced a significant drop in its search rankings, particularly for non-branded keywords. This meant that potential customers searching for terms like “secure email” or “encrypted email” were no longer finding Tuta in their search results. Heck, even key search terms like “Tutanota login” directed users to the Tuta Mail app on Google Play or a Reddit post rather than the Tuta website itself.

This development starkly contrasted with other search engines like DuckDuckGo, Yahoo!, Bing, or Yandex, where Tuta’s website consistently appeared as the top result. Consequently, Tuta Mail, renowned for its encrypted email services and boasting over ten million users globally, lost over 90% visibility in search results, severely impacting its organic traffic and potential customer acquisition.

Tuta’s attempts to contact Google for clarification were met with silence, leaving the company with no explanation for the sudden drop in rankings. This lack of transparency raised concerns about Google’s accountability and its impact on smaller businesses that rely heavily on organic search traffic.

In April 2024, Tuta Mail submitted a formal complaint to the European Union alleging that Google had severely impacted its search visibility. The timing of this issue coincided with the implementation of the European Digital Markets Act (DMA) in March 2024. While the DMA aims to ensure fair competition and prevent gatekeeping by major tech companies like Google, Tuta Mail CEO Matthias Pfau expressed his confusion over the timing of his company’s ranking drop, which coincided with the DMA’s implementation. “Obviously Google changed something in its search algorithms, but we do not know what they changed or why,” he stated in a Reuters interview.

Pfau emphasized that this search visibility issue directly contradicts the DMA’s objectives. Google’s dominance in search, especially in Europe and North America, meant that the reduction in Tuta’s visibility significantly impacted its business in these markets. “Google must stop this unfair limitation of showing our website in search results immediately,” Pfau said. But despite multiple attempts to contact Google, including opening support tickets and reaching out through various channels, Tuta received no satisfactory response.

The Tuta boss also highlighted the broader implications of this issue, noting that Google’s actions hinder smaller competitors, particularly those offering alternative solutions prioritizing user privacy, like Tuta Mail. This led to Tuta’s decision to take the matter public and seek EU intervention, arguing that Google’s actions exemplified unfair competition and self-preferencing.

In response to these allegations, a Google spokesperson informed the BBC that Tuta Mail still ranked above Gmail for various email-related searches, even those not specifically mentioning the Tuta brand. A spokesperson told Reuters that “search ranking updates absolutely do not aim to preference Google products, or any other particular website. The email provider in question is easily accessible globally on Search.” This statement underlines Google’s position that its search algorithm operates impartially and does not unfairly promote its own products over competitors.

While responding to a related but separate issue with search ranking of a website, Google SearchLiaison reiterated that their algorithm functions autonomously, identifying patterns across vast content to prevent spam, without targeting specific sites. They maintained that there was no manual intervention possible to alter a site’s ranking, aligning with Google’s longstanding stance on their algorithmic operations. According to Google, their system is designed to ensure that search results are as helpful and relevant as possible, and they appreciate feedback to help improve the user experience. “We appreciate the feedback and will look into how we can ensure Search continues to return the most helpful, relevant results,” said the spokesperson.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai, in a recent interview with The Verge, reiterated the same stance while addressing concerns about declining traffic for some websites. He likened the situation to individual restaurants losing customers, suggesting that broader market dynamics and user preferences drive these trends. Pichai emphasized Google’s role in increasing overall web traffic over the past decade, although he acknowledged that smaller sites might feel disproportionately affected by algorithmic changes. He noted that while some sites might experience a downturn in traffic, others might flourish, and these shifts often reflect broader competitive dynamics rather than any deliberate suppression by Google

Interestingly, Tuta’s search rankings were mysteriously restored to their previous levels shortly after a media report suggested that the company was considering legal action against Google. On May 7, 2024, GCR reported on Tuta’s plans for legal measures, and within two days, Tuta’s search ranking returned to its previous status without any official explanation from Google. This sudden restoration raised questions about Google’s ability to manually influence search rankings, despite their public denials.

Pfau expressed frustration over the lack of transparency and accountability from Google, calling for a detailed explanation of the circumstances surrounding the incident. He argued that incidents like this highlight the unchecked power of Google and the need for robust safeguards to ensure fair competition. Pfau stressed the importance of having quick access to competent technicians at Google to address such issues promptly, without requiring public attention to trigger action. The incident highlights the challenges faced by smaller businesses in navigating the complexities of Google’s search algorithms and the potential consequences of being unfairly penalized.

The Tuta incident is not an isolated case. Many small and independent publishers have reported experiencing significant declines in their search rankings following Google’s algorithm updates. These updates, often shrouded in secrecy, can have devastating consequences for businesses that rely on organic search traffic for their survival.

For instance, niche websites like HouseFresh and Retro Dodo have seen their Google traffic plummet, threatening their businesses’ sustainability. These cases illustrate the disproportionate impact of Google’s algorithmic updates on smaller players, who often lack the resources to adapt swiftly or challenge such changes effectively.

Google’s repeated assertions that it does not manually manipulate search rankings for individual websites have been met with skepticism by some industry experts. And this latest case with Tuta Mail adds even more skepticism. The complexity of the algorithms and the lack of transparency make it difficult to verify Google’s claims.

In fact, the situation between Tuta Mail and Google brings to light critical issues surrounding algorithmic transparency, fair competition, and the immense influence of tech giants on the digital ecosystem. While Google’s algorithms are designed to improve user experience by filtering out spam and irrelevant content, the lack of transparency and recourse for affected sites raises significant concerns.

As the EU continues to scrutinize the compliance of major tech companies with the DMA, Tuta’s case may serve as a pivotal example of the challenges and potential abuses inherent in the current system. Ensuring a level playing field and protecting the interests of smaller competitors will be essential in fostering a diverse and competitive digital marketplace.

Smaller businesses, in particular, are vulnerable to the whims of Google’s algorithms. A sudden drop in search rankings can have a devastating impact on their traffic and revenue. It is crucial for Google to provide clear explanations for ranking changes and offer avenues for recourse for businesses that believe they have been unfairly penalized.

In summary, the Tuta Mail incident highlights the need for greater accountability and transparency from dominant tech companies like Google. And it’s a reminder of the power that Google wields and the potential consequences of its actions.