Google Issues Tennessee Search ‘Blacklist’ Guidance
▼ Summary
– Tennessee’s SB 2262, effective July 1, 2026, protects small businesses with 50 or fewer employees from being “blacklisted” by search engines, defined as reduced visibility, removal of website listings, or deletion of 25% or more of reviews.
– The law allows small businesses that believe they have been blacklisted to contact the search engine and demand a response within five business days, including an explanation and appeal process.
– Google has published new guidelines specific to Tennessee small businesses, instructing them to verify their website in Search Console and claim business listings to ensure they receive notifications about removals or restrictions.
– The guidelines explain that signing up for Search Console provides alerts for spam violations, legal removals, and security issues, while claiming a Google Business Profile offers additional benefits.
– The law aims to increase transparency and accountability from big tech companies like Google, giving small businesses legal recourse to challenge harmful decisions such as losing a large number of positive reviews.
Google is now actively complying with Tennessee’s new SB 2262 law, a statute that holds search engines accountable to small businesses when they are blacklisted from search results or have their reviews removed in bulk. This legislation arrives amid growing societal concerns over big tech monopolies and their potential to harm smaller enterprises. In response, Google has published specific guidance for Tennessee businesses, outlining how to receive notifications related to what the law formally defines as blacklisting.
SB 2262, effective July 1, 2026, provides legal protections for small businesses that experience blacklisting by a search engine or see their reviews reduced by 25% or more. The law defines “blacklist” as one of three actions: reducing the visibility or accessibility of a small business’s website on an online search engine; removing a small business’s website or its search result entirely; or deleting 25% or more of the business’s reviews. Violations allow small businesses to bring a court action against Google or any other search engine. The law specifically defines a small business as one with 50 or fewer employees.
The original version of SB 2262 required search engines to proactively notify small businesses of blacklisting. However, an amendment passed on April 6, 2026, replaced that mandate. Now, the law authorizes a small business that believes it has been blacklisted to contact the search engine and request a response. The search engine must reply within five business days, providing an explanation of the action, its justification, and the process, steps, and requirements necessary for the business to appeal or be restored.
Google’s response includes new guidelines specifically for Tennessee small businesses, detailing the steps they must take to ensure they receive the required notices. The guidelines state that Tennessee SB 2262 entitles certain small businesses to be notified if their digital listings or customer reviews are removed or restricted. To receive these notifications from Google Search, businesses must verify their website in Search Console and claim and manage other business listings on Google that may appear in Search.
The guidelines further explain the benefits of Search Console, including notifications about spam and policy violations, legal removals due to local legal requirements, and security issues such as malware or hacked content. Google also recommends claiming a Google Business Profile and starting with a Merchant Center listing to ensure full coverage.
The takeaway is clear: this new law aims to bring greater transparency to how search engines list and delist small businesses, making them more accountable. Losing a large number of positive reviews can cause severe business harm, and Tennessee’s SB 2262 gives these business owners legal power to hold search engines like Google more responsible for their decisions.
(Source: Search Engine Journal)
