The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering requiring Google to give consumers more choice over which online search services they use, under a new digital markets law aimed at limiting market dominance. Google currently accounts for over 90% of UK searches, with roughly 200,000 businesses relying on its search advertising to reach customers.
While the CMA is not accusing Google of anti-competitive behavior at this stage, it has outlined a “roadmap” of potential changes. These include requiring choice screens that let users select between search providers, increasing transparency and control for publishers regarding how their content is used in Google’s search results and AI features, and ensuring users can transfer data such as their search history. The regulator plans to reach a decision on whether to formally designate Google as having “strategic market status” by October 13.
Google Responds with Caution
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, criticized the CMA’s proposals as “broad and unfocused,” but affirmed it would “work constructively” with the regulator. The company also warned that any imposed changes could have “significant implications” for UK consumers and businesses, cautioning that past regulatory shifts in the European Union have impacted how quickly innovations are introduced in the UK.
Industry groups have highlighted mixed impacts of search engine changes. Airlines like EasyJet noted that EU regulations, which boosted rival search engines and comparison sites, have diverted customers away from direct airline bookings, sometimes leading to misrepresented prices. Meanwhile, adult retailers reported that Google’s SafeSearch censorship has hurt the discoverability of their sites. The UK Hospitality trade association urged caution against replicating EU rules, warning of “unintended consequences” for businesses and consumers.
AI and News Content Under the Microscope
The CMA’s intervention extends beyond traditional search. Sebastian Cuttill of the News Media Association emphasized the importance of transparency around the use of news content in AI-powered services like Google’s AI Overviews. Publishers, including the BBC, have expressed concerns about their content being used to train AI tools without permission or compensation. Cuttill praised the CMA’s proposed measures as advancing “fair dealing, trust, and transparency.”
Google’s search practices are under scrutiny worldwide. In the U.S., a judge ruled last August that Google operated an illegal search monopoly. The company has also faced EU penalties, including a €2.4 billion fine upheld for allegedly favoring its own Shopping comparison service in search results.
What The Author Thinks
Google’s dominance in search markets raises critical questions about choice and fairness. Allowing users to pick among search providers and giving publishers more control over their content is vital to fostering innovation and preventing monopolistic behavior. Regulators must carefully balance protecting consumers with encouraging competition, ensuring that market power does not stifle diversity or transparency in digital services.
