The UK’s antitrust regulator has launched an investigation into Google’s search engine operations to assess its impact on consumers and businesses, including advertisers, news publishers, and rival search engines. The decision was made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which recently gained new powers to scrutinize the activities of major tech companies.
According to CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell, search engines play a vital role in economic development, and it is crucial to ensure effective competition in this sector. She highlighted that millions of users and over 200,000 businesses in the UK rely on Google’s search and advertising services, which account for approximately 90% of all search queries.
Google, in response, stated that its services foster growth for British businesses by offering innovative ways to engage with customers. A company representative emphasized Google’s willingness to collaborate constructively with the CMA to develop new regulations that benefit all types of websites.
Notably, the CMA’s initiative coincides with actions taken by U.S. authorities: in November, the Department of Justice urged Google to divest its Chrome browser, share search data and results with competitors, and implement other measures to address its dominance in online search.
Under its new powers, the CMA must first designate Google as a company with Strategic Market Status (SMS) in the digital sector. The investigation will examine barriers to market entry, innovation, and potential misuse of Google’s dominant position to promote its own services.
Special attention will be given to Google’s collection and use of user data. Potential outcomes of the investigation include requiring Google to share data with competitors or granting publishers greater control over how their content is used, particularly in Google’s AI-driven services.
The inquiry is expected to last up to nine months, with results that could lead to significant changes in the market, fostering fairer competition and encouraging innovation.
