The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering new measures that would require Google to provide alternative search options to users. The CMA said it is launching a consultation on whether to designate Google as having “strategic market status.”
This designation would apply to companies with a powerful position in their market. It would compel Google to adhere to several measures.
These include offering choice screens to let users decide and switch between search services. Google would also have to implement fair ranking principles for search results. The measures would allow publishers greater control over how their content is used in search and AI services.
New rules for Google search
They would also ensure the ability for users to transfer their data, such as their search history. CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said, “Google search accounts for more than 90% of all general search queries in the UK, with millions of people relying on it as a key gateway to the internet.
If competition was working well, we would expect these costs to be lower.”
“These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google’s search services, as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy,” she added. The CMA is currently collecting opinions on this designation and the proposed measures from industry stakeholders. It plans to make a decision by October 13.
Google did not immediately return a request for comment on the CMA’s announcement.