Competition regulator to examine Google services under new digital market laws

14 January 2025, 11:24

Hand holding a mobile phone showing Google search engine
Phone app stock. Picture: PA

The Competition and Markets Authority said it was launching its first strategic market status designation investigation.

The UK’s competition regulator has launched its first investigation under new digital markets rules to examine the position of Google’s search services in the sector.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its investigation would look to establish whether Google’s search and search advertising services should be designated with strategic market status (SMS).

If so, new digital markets competition rules which came into effect at the start of the year as part of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) would require the tech giant to follow certain conduct requirements or pro-competition interventions imposed by the CMA.

The investigation will also look at whether any conduct requirements may need to be imposed.

Last year, the CMA closed existing competition investigations into Google and Apple ahead of these new laws coming into effect, but previously said it expected to open three of four investigations under the new regime in 2025.

Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s chief executive, said: “Millions of people and businesses across the UK rely on Google’s search and advertising services – with 90% of searches happening on their platform and more than 200,000 UK businesses advertising there.

“That’s why it’s so important to ensure these services are delivering good outcomes for people and businesses and that there is a level playing field, especially as AI has the potential to transform search services.

“It’s our job to ensure people get the full benefit of choice and innovation in search services and get a fair deal – for example in how their data is collected and stored.

“And for businesses, whether you are a rival search engine, an advertiser or a news organisation, we want to ensure there is a level playing field for all businesses, large and small, to succeed.”

The CMA said its investigation must be completed within nine months, and would take feedback from stakeholders, as well as evidence from Google, before reaching a decision by October this year.

A Google spokesperson said: “People across the UK trust Google Search to help them find what they need.

“Google Search supports millions of UK businesses to grow by reaching customers in innovative ways.

“The CMA’s announcement today recognises that: ‘Search is vital for economic growth’.

“We will continue to engage constructively with the CMA to ensure that new rules benefit all types of websites, and still allow people in the UK to benefit from helpful and cutting-edge services.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

The icons for the smartphone apps DeepSeek and ChatGPT are seen on a mobile

Nations and tech firms to jostle for AI leadership at Paris summit

Nick Lees

Man who credits King over cancer diagnosis given pioneering robotic microsurgery

Ellen Roome with her 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney

Parents suing TikTok over children’s deaths ‘want answers’

The Apple logo in the window of an Apple store

Home Office orders Apple to let it access users’ encrypted files – report

Ellen Roome with her son Jools Sweeney

Bereaved families file US lawsuit against TikTok over access to children’s data

The OpenAI logo appears on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen with random binary data

OpenAI taking claims of data breach ‘seriously’

There are concerns over how technology is aiding the abuse of women (Alamy/PA)

Deepfake abuse crackdown a ‘really important blow in battle against misogyny’

The Football Manager 25 logo on a light purple background

Football Manager 25 cancelled after delays

Football Manager 25 has been cancelled after being hit by delays

Football Manager 25 cancelled after several delays

Carsten Jung, head of AI at the IPPR, warned that politics 'needs to catch up' with the implications of AI (PA)

AI could replace 70% of tasks in computer-based jobs, study says

General view of IMI headquarters at Lakeside, Birmingham Business Park, Birmingham.

Engineering group IMI latest UK firm to be hit by cyber attack

A person's hands on the keyboard of a laptop

PSNI exploring use of AI to analyse mobile phone evidence

A screenshot of the homepage of AI chatbot DeepSeek, showing a warning message about new users being unable to register for the app

DeepSeek reopens new user sign-ups despite ongoing security concerns

A Google logo on the screen of a mobile phone, in Londons

Google axes diversity hiring targets as it reviews DEI programmes

A person’s hand pressing keys of a laptop keyboard

UK to get new cyber attack severity rating system

People working at computers

Capital raised by tech start-ups under Government scheme doubles