With over 90% of all search queries made on Google and more than 200,000 UK advertisers using Google’s search advertising, the CMA is investigating whether its search dominance impacts advertisers and consumers.
Google is being investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over the impact of its search and search advertising services on advertisers, consumers, news publishers and rival search engines.
The CMA’s investigation adds to the scrutiny Google has faced globally, with similar probes underway in the US, Europe and Australia.
Over 90% of all general search queries are made on the platform, and more than 200,000 UK advertisers use Google’s search advertising services.
As part of the investigation, the CMA will assess whether Google leverages its position as the leading search engine to prevent innovation and create barriers that ward off competitors from entering the market. In particular, it will examine whether Google is able to shape the development of new AI services and interfaces, including ‘answer engines’, in ways that limit the competitive constraint they impose on Google search.
It will also assess whether the tech giant prioritises its own services, such as specialised search tools for shopping and travel and whether it engages in “potential exploitative conduct” by collecting and using large quantities of consumer data without informed consent.
As a result, the CMA may impose conduct requirements on Google. These could include mandating that Google shares its collected data with other businesses or granting publishers greater control over how their data is used, including in Google’s AI services.
Effective search competition ensures people benefit from more choices, gives them access to innovative services, and gives them greater control over their data. For businesses, competition helps drive down the cost of search advertising, currently equivalent to nearly £500 per household annually, ultimately reducing prices across the economy, according to the CMA.
“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,”
CEO of the CMA, Sarah Cardell says.
“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’s investigation marks the first under the UK’s new digital markets competition regime, which came into effect on 1 January 2025. This regime grants the CMA the power to impose “conduct requirements” on tech companies.
The CMA aims to conclude its investigation within nine months, engaging with stakeholders such as advertising firms, news publishers, and user groups, while gathering evidence from Google. A decision is expected by October 2025.
Read more on this article at Marketing Week