The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed new rules to curb Google’s dominance in online search and give users more choice.
The CMA wants to give Google “strategic market status” under Britain’s new Digital Markets Competition Regime. This would allow the regulator to impose rules on how Google runs its search engine in the UK. Google currently handles over 90% of all online searches in the country and is used by more than 200,000 UK businesses for advertising.
The proposed changes include making Google’s search rankings fairer and more transparent. The CMA also plans to require Google to offer “choice screens” that let users easily pick and switch between different search services, including AI assistants. This aims to open up the market to more competition and innovation.
Publishers will get more control over how their content appears in search results, especially with AI-generated answers. Google may also have to make its data more portable to help new companies build innovative products.
The CMA began investigating Google’s market power in January 2025. CEO Sarah Cardell said the changes would give UK users and businesses more control and unlock new opportunities for growth in the tech sector.
Google warned that the proposed rules could hurt UK growth and innovation. Oliver Bethell, Google’s competition director, said the CMA’s plans are broad and could create challenges before all evidence is reviewed. Google promised to work constructively with the regulator but cautioned against “punitive regulations.”
A final decision on the new rules is expected by October after public consultation.
“Google has delivered tremendous benefits, but there are ways to make these markets more open, competitive and innovative,” says Sarah Cardell, CMA chief executive.
On the other hand, Oliver Bethell, Google competition director says, “proportionate, evidence-based regulation will be essential to preventing the CMA’s roadmap from becoming a roadblock to growth in the UK.”
If approved, these changes could reshape how millions of people in the UK search online.
