The United Kingdom offers greater regulation for Google’s research practices

The United Kingdom could introduce new regulations for Google. The Country Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed to appoint the company’s research services with “Strategic market status“(SMS). In doing so, the regulatory organization could order Google to create more equitable commercial rankings on research, for example.

The CMA launched a Google research antitrust survey in January – his first probe under the Digital market law, competition and consumers of the United Kingdom (DMCC). The concerns include research advertising costing more than in a competitive market, minimum transparency on the classification of research results and the vast access of Google to websites and historical research. There is also the number of publishers who obtain equitable terms and control over the use of their content in research and the summaries generated by AI.

“Google Search has offered enormous advantages – but our investigation so far suggests that there are means to make these markets more open, competitive and innovative.” Sarah Cardell, CMA Managing Director, said in a statement. A final decision on Google’s SMS designation will come by October 13.

It would also apply to research features based on AI, but not to the Gemini AI assistant – although the CMA indicates that it is likely to change.

If the labeling goes ahead, the CMA will probably adopt “early priorities” like what follows:

• Require choice screens for users to access various research providers

• Ensure fair classification principles for companies appearing on Google Search

• More transparency and control for publishers whose content appears in the research results

• Consumer research data portability to support innovation in new products and services

These points are a roadmap for the way the AMC plans to manage any initial Designation period for SMS. “These targeted and proportionate actions would give companies and consumers of the United Kingdom more choice and control over how they interact with Google’s research services – as well as to unlock greater innovation opportunities in the British technological sector and the wider economy,” said Cardell. The ACM aims to provide additional actions to tackle more complex problems from the beginning of 2026.

THE SMS designation does not imply that Google has engaged in anti -competitive actions. The parties interested in Google status can provide their point of view on the proposal directly to the CMA.