Google may be required to overhaul the way its search engine operates in the UK after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed it has granted the tech giant “strategic market status” (SMS) under the country’s new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA).
The landmark decision, announced on Friday, gives the CMA sweeping new powers to impose legally binding rules on Google’s search and advertising businesses — which together account for over 90% of all online searches in the UK.
While the designation is not a finding of wrongdoing, it allows regulators to step in later this year with potential measures aimed at increasing competition in digital markets.
Under its new status, Google could be required to offer users alternative search engines via “choice screens”, introduce greater transparency in how results are ranked, and provide publishers with more control over how their content is displayed or monetised online.
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