The UK’s competition watchdog has proposed giving Google a formal “Strategic Market Status” (SMS) in an effort to better regulate its overwhelming influence in the search engine market and protect both consumers and businesses from unfair practices.
According to Reuters, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Thursday that the measure would allow it to more effectively oversee how Google runs its search services, given its dominant position in Britain. Google currently handles over 90% of all general search queries in the country, making it the main gateway to the internet for millions of people. More than 200,000 businesses also rely heavily on Google’s search advertising to reach customers.
In a press release, the CMA explained that it is exploring measures to ensure fairer access to other search providers and to establish clear ranking rules so businesses can compete on merit rather than face hidden disadvantages. If approved, the new status — which could be finalized as early as October — would also grant content publishers more transparency and control over how their material appears in Google’s search results.
Google would be the first company to receive this designation since the CMA was granted expanded regulatory powers earlier this year under the UK’s new Digital Markets regime.
The CMA argues this move could boost innovation and growth by making digital markets more competitive and safeguarding users and companies against unfair practices.
In response, Google expressed concern that the proposed measures are too broad and lack clear evidence to justify significant interventions. Oliver Bethell, Google’s Senior Director of Competition, warned that such regulation could have far-reaching effects on UK businesses and everyday users alike.
