Google has admitted that in court filings “the Open Web is already in rapid decline”. The addition of AI to search results pages and increased use of LLMs for search queries is something I wrote about in June but not something Google has publicly admitted is happening until now.

The court filings above relate to the antitrust and monopoly hearings the company is currently embroiled in. One interesting suggested solution to their issues is for sustainability focused search engine Ecosia to take stewardship of Chrome for the next 10 years. It’s extremely unlikely to happen but we live in interesting times…

The ongoing upheaval caused by new AI technologies is causing Google to forget it’s responsibilities. Eagle eyed tech journalists recently noticed that they have removed their net zero goals from the organisations’ sustainability site. This comes off the back of their 2024 sustainability report which revealed that their carbon emissions have increased by 48% since 2019, citing increased data center energy consumption due to AI roll outs. (You can find the full 2024 report here).

If any of the above stories have got you pondering whether you might need a little less Google influence in your life, you could read our article on alternative browsers to Chrome, join the Open Web Movement or find an alternative tech platform or two.

Away from Google there is important news about accessibility standards for emails and newsletters. The European Accessibility Act has set WCAG AA-level conformance as the benchmark for emails – great news for advocates of a more equitable, humane web.

The Green Web Foundation has released an open source web component for Grid Aware websites. Read why Grid Aware websites are one of their objectives this year and how to implement the component on your sites here.

This Trellis article calls for Apple to wield its influence on climate policy. James Gill of Ecosend reflects similar sentiments after the announcement of a new, slimmer iPhone.

Finally a couple of positive and hopeful recommendations. The first is to check out the inspiring work and resources of All Tech is Human, a not for profit organisation aiming to create a tech future aligned with the public interest.

The second is a not tech related but hugely relevant to the purpose driven and sustainability focused audience for this newsletter. This piece from the Looking Sideways podcast titled “How to Change Peoples’ Minds” is a brilliant insight from two change makers on the front lines of sustainability, diversity and inclusion.