The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has stated that Google may be required to make changes to its search services in the UK in order to promote greater competition. This is due to a new law that allows the regulator to demand changes from a company if it holds too much power in a specific market.
Currently, Google accounts for over 90% of searches in the UK and 200,000 businesses use its search advertising to reach customers.
Google has stated that it will cooperate with the CMA, but also acknowledges that this announcement poses significant challenges for its UK operations.
The CMA has clarified that it is not accusing Google of anti-competitive behavior at this time, but has outlined potential changes that the company could make to its business before a final decision is made in October. These changes may include implementing “choice” screens for users to access alternative search providers, as well as providing more transparency and control for publishers whose content appears in search results.
The CMA initiated an investigation into Google in January with the goal of ensuring fair competition in online search.
Google’s search practices have also come under scrutiny from other regulators, including a US judge who ruled last August that the company was operating an illegal search monopoly. It has also faced enforcement action from the European Union, resulting in a €2.4bn (£2bn) fine for allegedly favoring its own Shopping comparison service in search results.