In short. Google treats scraping as abuse when content from other sites is hosted to manipulate search rankings.

Definition: Content scraping is taking material from other websites and republishing it, often through automated means. As of 17 October 2026, Google's spam policies describe abusive scraping as hosting that material to manipulate search rankings.

Key facts

Google's scraping policy includes slight rewrites, reproduced feeds and media compilations that lack substantial added value.
Google's Manual actions report documentation lists scraped content among examples of thin content with little or no added value.
Google's canonical URL documentation describes mechanisms for indicating a preferred URL among duplicate or very similar pages.

When does copying fall under Google's spam policies?

Google's scraping policy names copying with synonym substitutions as an abusive example. It also covers sites that embed or compile other sites' videos or images without substantial added value.

The same document defines scaled content abuse as generating many pages primarily to manipulate rankings. Scraping feeds or search results to generate low-value pages falls within that policy, including when translation transforms the copied material.

How can a publisher assess added value?

Google's helpful content guidance asks whether content supplies original information, reporting, research or analysis. When a page draws on other sources, its assessment questions ask whether it adds substantial value and originality beyond copying or rewriting.

Those questions provide an editorial review method: compare the source material with the published page and identify the additional information or analysis. The same guidance also asks whether the page offers substantial value compared with other search results. Merely changing wording leaves that assessment unanswered.

How are duplicate URLs handled?

A canonical URL is the preferred address for duplicate or very similar pages. Google's canonical URL guidance describes redirects and canonical link annotations as strong signals for selecting that address.

For duplicate pages under a publisher's control, its example places this element in the HTML document's head:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/dresses/green-dresses" />

The example identifies a preferred version of dress content available through several URLs. Google also recommends the same self-referential element on the preferred page. This mechanism expresses a URL preference; the separate scraping policy assesses the copying practice and its purpose.

What happens after a manual action?

A manual action follows a human review that finds a violation of Google's spam policies. Google's Manual actions report documentation explains that affected pages or sites can rank lower or disappear from search results, and that Search Console notifies the site owner.

For thin content with little or no added value, the documented process includes checking for content duplicated elsewhere and improving the site's value for users. Once the violations are resolved, the site owner selects Request Review and provides examples of removed content and useful content added.

FAQ

Does crediting the source resolve a scraping issue?

Google's scraping policy includes republication without original content or value even when the original source is cited. Attribution alone therefore leaves the added-value issue unresolved.

Where can I check a manual action?

You can use Search Console's Manual actions report. Its description identifies affected page patterns, which can cover part of your site or the entire site.

Sources

Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer