German Court Holds Google Liable for False AI Answers About a Doctor

A regional court in the German city of Aachen has issued an urgent injunction prohibiting "Google" from publishing false claims via AI-powered search results, basing its decision on the rationale of a previous ruling by a Munich court, according to "The Decoder".

The order, dated September 24, 2026, came after a doctor in Aachen noticed that the AI search feature attributed to him accusations and lawsuits that actually concerned another university professor. A colleague informed him on August 28 that the search engine explained his departure from his job by referencing an alleged sexual assault against his secretary, while additional searches produced detailed, groundless narratives.

The doctor requested that "Google" remove the content, but in mid-September the company stated it would not take any action. The court intervened on an expedited basis, and under the decision, "Google" faces fines of up to 250,000 euros for each violation.

The court relies on a ruling by the First Regional Court of Munich in late May, which considered "AI Overviews" in search to be not merely links to third-party content, but statements expressing "Google" itself, making it liable for them. This opens the door to broader consequences regarding the search engine's role in disseminating information.

What do these terms mean?

Urgent Injunction: A temporary decision issued by a court without a full hearing to prevent imminent harm, and it remains subject to appeal.

AI Overviews: AI-generated answers that appear at the top of "Google" search results to summarize information.

Legal Liability: A person or company bearing legal consequences for content it publishes or produces.