Britain is planning to tighten its grip on Google’s huge control over online search — and it could mean big changes for how we all use the internet there.
This week, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) proposed giving Google something called “Strategic Market Status.” In plain English, it’s a label for companies that have so much power that the government thinks they need special rules to keep things fair.
Google is a perfect example: in the UK, over 90% of people’s general searches go through Google. For many, it’s the main door to the web. At the same time, more than 200,000 businesses depend on Google ads to get customers. So, if Google tilts the playing field, it can really hurt competitors and smaller businesses.
If this plan goes ahead — possibly by October — the CMA wants to make sure it’s easier for people to try other search engines if they want. They also want clearer rules so businesses can trust that their websites won’t get buried unfairly in Google’s results. Content creators would get more insight and say in how Google shows their work, too.
Interestingly, this would make Google the first tech giant to get this status under the UK’s tough new digital market laws.
Google, though, isn’t happy. Its head of competition in the region, Oliver Bethell, warned that the watchdog might be going too far, too fast — and without solid proof for such wide-ranging changes.
Time will tell if the UK can rein in big tech without slowing down innovation or making life harder for users and businesses.