UK Regulators Shake Up Google Search: More Choices Coming Soon!

Google may soon have to make changes to its search engine in the UK, following a major decision by the Competition and Markets Authority, or CMA. The CMA has given Google 'strategic market status' under a new law that started in January. This does not mean Google has done anything wrong, but it does allow the CMA to look at ways to make the online search market more competitive. The CMA wants to make sure that people in the UK have more choices when they search for things online, and that other search engines can compete fairly with Google.

Currently, Google is the most popular search engine in the UK, with more than 90 percent of searches happening on its platform. Because of this, the CMA is considering several possible changes. One idea is to require Google to add a 'choice screen' that would let users pick from different search engines when they go online. The CMA also wants to give website owners more control over how their content appears in search results. They are thinking about setting up fair rules for how websites are ranked and creating a way for businesses to complain if they feel their website is not being treated fairly.

Google has responded by saying that it has brought many benefits to the UK. Oliver Bethell, who works on competition issues for Google, wrote that UK businesses and consumers often get to use new Google features before people in other European countries. He also said that Google Search added £118 billion to the UK economy in 2023. Google is worried that if the CMA makes too many changes, it could slow down innovation and make it harder for Google to launch new products, especially as artificial intelligence becomes more important.

Consumer groups like Which? have welcomed the CMA's decision. Rocio Concha from Which? said that the CMA has made a strong case for looking at Google's power in the market. She said that even as new AI tools change how people search online, it is still important to make sure Google does not have too much control. This is not the only time Google has faced questions about its power. In the US, Google was recently told to make big changes to its app store, and in Europe, Google was fined billions of euros for how it handles online ads. The CMA plans to start talking about possible changes in 2025, but for now, they are just making sure the market stays fair and competitive.