Google has had a weird couple of years. In the US, it is being pushed to and to . In the UK, things aren't going that much better, as the Competition
and Markets Authority (CMA) is looking to introduce "targeted measures to address specific aspects of how Google operates".
As spotted by the , the CMA recently , following its initial investigation into Google this January. Noting that "Google [[link]] search accounts for more than 90% of all general search queries in the UK", the report pays particular attention to the 200,000 businesses in the UK reliant on said search.
As well as these measures, the proposal argues that digital publishers should have greater transparency over how tools like Google's AI services (AI assistant and AI overview) pull their data, how it's attributed, and more. Fundamentally, these changes, if implemented, will significantly impact how Google functions in the UK.
Sarah Cardell, the Chief Executive of the CMA, says, "These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google’s search services".
The CMA has published its current findings whilst encouraging "views on its proposed designation decision and accompanying roadmap". It will make a final decision on SMS designation by its deadline on October 13.
It also claims, through its investigation, that "Google may not consistently provide fair search ranking and is able to rapidly (and with limited transparency over when or why) introduce changes to ranking." It asserts that Google's deals for default browser status with companies like Apple and Samsung have given it an advantage that makes it hard for competitors to keep up. , in digital markets, "it's absolutely vital that they [companies] operate in as competitive and as open a way as possible"
Speaking to , a spokesperson for Google said [[link]] "the positive impact of Google Search on the UK is undeniable" and that "this announcement presents clear challenges to critical areas of our business in the UK". The spokesperson continues, "We're concerned that the scope of the CMA's considerations remains broad and unfocused, with a range of interventions being considered before any evidence has been provided".
It is worth noting that SMS designation does not imply wrongdoing, and Cardell said in their investigation, "Google search has delivered tremendous benefits".
This is not the first time CMA has crossed the PC Gamer news desk. Back in 2022, the for alleged cloud gaming dominance (. As well as this, the . The CMA to Google's ad tech late last year, too. Google has been in the CMA's sights for some time, and we'll have to wait until October to see how this specific proposal shapes out.

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