Google could be forced to change its search engine in the UK

Google could beryllium forced to alteration its hunt motor successful the UK to springiness consumers much prime and power implicit however they interact with its hunt services, the contention regulator has warned.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has laid retired imaginable remedies Google whitethorn person to make, including allowing radical to easy power hunt engines done a ineligible request for alleged "choice screens".

Also being considered is ensuring radical tin transportation their browser past to different provider, and a request for transparency implicit hunt effect ordering and inclusion successful AI-generated summaries.

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The CMA has besides projected designating the tech elephantine with "strategic marketplace status", which would springiness the regulator greater power implicit however Google operates hunt services.

Why is this happening?

It's each being done to springiness consumers "more prime and control" and to unlock "greater opportunities for innovation crossed the UK tech assemblage and broader economy", the CMA's main executive, Sarah Cardell, said.

The mean idiosyncratic successful the UK makes 5 to 10 searches a day, the CMA said, with Google's services "critical" for much than 200,000 UK businesses, which trust connected the institution to scope customers.

"Our probe truthful acold suggests determination are ways to marque these markets much open, competitory and innovative," Ms Cardell said.

Possible measures and concerns outlined by the watchdog bash not mean Google is blameworthy of anti-competitive practices. Nor does the "strategic marketplace status" designation, fixed owed to its ascendant presumption successful hunt and advertising.

Were the CMA to spell done with the measures, "the result could person important implications for businesses and consumers successful the UK", Google's elder manager for competition, Oliver Bethell, said.

"This announcement presents wide challenges to captious areas of our concern successful the UK."

"We're acrophobic that the scope of the CMA's considerations remains wide and unfocused, with a scope of interventions being considered earlier immoderate grounds has been provided," the steadfast added.

The announcement connected Tuesday greeting is simply a continuation of the probe first announced successful January.

What next?

A last determination connected whether to use the remedies and designate Google arsenic having "strategic marketplace status" volition beryllium made successful October.

But successful the 2nd fractional of 2026, the CMA said it planned to see actions to code "more complex" concerns.

These see the interaction of Google's bargaining presumption connected net publishers, its attraction of rival specialised hunt firms, and transparency and power successful hunt advertising.

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Google is facing a crackdown connected its services successful some the US and the European Union.

Parent institution Alphabet could beryllium forced to merchantability the Chrome browser aft a US tribunal recovered Google had an illegal monopoly connected search.

In the EU, it's been deed with a €2.4bn (£2bn) good for abusing its marketplace dominance with its buying examination service.