UK CMA investigating Google over search and ads market dominance

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Google is bracing for another troubling year as 2025 begins with intensifying regulatory scrutiny and antitrust investigations. 

The tech giant is already burdened by numerous lawsuits and fines in 2024, including an astronomical $20.6 decillion penalty levied by Russian authorities.

It now faces a new investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). 

This investigation, conducted under Part 1 of the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers (DMCC) Act 2024, targets Google’s dominance in the search engine and advertising markets.

New year, new (but same) Google lawsuit 

The investigation, expected to conclude in October 2025, will result in the CMA issuing its “Strategic Market Status (SMS) Decision Notice.” 

The CMA will examine how Google’s dominance affects consumers, advertisers, publishers, and rival search engines during this process. 

Potential outcomes could include imposing “conduct requirements” to mitigate anti-competitive behavior.

The CMA’s inquiry focuses on three primary areas:

1. Exploitative Practices: Google may collect consumer data without informed consent, potentially using it to train AI models. Similarly, it faces allegations of gathering publishers’ intellectual property under unfair terms.
2. Self-Preferencing: The CMA is investigating whether Google prioritizes its services, such as specialized search for shopping or travel, within its search results, disadvantaging competitors.
3. Barriers to Entry: Google’s influence on emerging AI technologies, including “answer engines,” might stifle innovation and limit competition.

On January 14, the CMA officially invited impacted parties to submit comments and share evidence by February 3. 

Google has responded with a commitment to cooperate, emphasizing the benefits of its services to UK consumers and businesses while acknowledging trade-offs tied to regulation. 

The company’s search engine commands 90 percent of the UK market, and over 200,000 businesses utilize its advertising services.

If found guilty, Google could face stringent requirements, such as sharing its data with rivals and granting publishers greater control over how their data is used in Google’s AI models. 

Do you think Google deserves to be investigated? What kind of action would you want Google to face? Tell us your thoughts in the comments, down below, or via our Twitter or Facebook.