The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched antitrust investigation to Google search services, following the same steps as companies like Japan, United States And European Union. This is the first CMA investigation into the case. UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Actwhich came into force on January 1, 2025. The regulator previously announced it would launch two separate investigations this month.
The CMA's investigation will look at whether Google hinders outside innovation, favors its own services and collects or uses data without users' consent. “Millions of people and businesses across the UK rely on Google's search and advertising services, with 90 per cent of searches taking place on its platform and more than 200,000 UK businesses advertising there,” said Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA. in the issue. “That’s why it’s so important to ensure that these services deliver good results for people and businesses, and that there is a level playing field, especially as AI has the potential to transform search services.”
The DMCC Act allows the CMA to designate certain companies with “strategic market status” (SMS) in relation to specific digital activities – in this case Google's search services and search advertising. Companies must have a global turnover of £25 million or £1 billion in the UK.
This label allows the CMA to have greater regulatory power over these services and implement pro-competition directives. For example, if the CMA grants Google's search and search advertising services the SMS designation, it could force the company to make collected data available to competitors or give publishers more control over how Google uses their data. The investigation could take up to nine months and the CMA is asking interested parties to comment by 3 February.
Google has struggled with previous investigations into calls to its search engine. However, in December the company shared proposed changes to its search services in the US after the Department of Justice called on them sell Chrome.