The way Google Search operates in the United Kingdom could be fundamentally altered after a new law empowered the country’s competition regulator to intervene directly in its business. The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) has designated Google with “strategic market status,” a formal step that puts the tech giant under a tighter and more proactive regulatory framework.
The designation is the first major action under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, a law designed to manage the power of dominant tech firms. The CMA’s decision was based on Google’s market share, which exceeds 90% in the UK. This status now legally permits the watchdog to order changes to Google’s search and advertising services.
The CMA is preparing to consult on several significant interventions. These include requiring “choice screens” to give users an upfront option to pick a different search service, with the regulator suggesting that AI challengers like Perplexity could be included. Other potential rules would govern the fairness of search rankings and give publishers more authority over the use of their content, especially in AI-generated search responses.
Google has voiced its opposition, arguing that the regulatory path could backfire by hindering innovation. A company spokesperson stated that many of the proposed ideas could slow down product development in the UK, just as AI is transforming technology. This argument is set against the views of competition advocates, who believe the UK is finally catching up with international efforts to create a fairer digital market.
While the designation is now official, the specific changes are yet to be determined. The CMA will launch a consultation this year to define the new rules for Google. The decision sets a precedent for how the UK will handle Big Tech, with the CMA also currently evaluating whether to apply the same “strategic market status” to the mobile platforms run by Apple and Google.
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