UK CMA Seeks Strategic Market Status to Force Google Choice Screens

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is poised to designate Google with "strategic market status" (SMS), which would allow the regulator to impose new rules aimed at increasing competition in the UK search market where Google holds over 90% share. Proposed measures include requiring Google to implement "choice screens" on platforms like Chrome and Android, enabling users to easily select alternative search engines, and mandating fairer ranking of search results alongside greater transparency and control for publishers over their content, especially in AI-generated responses. The CMA’s investigation, launched in January under new digital market laws, reflects concerns about Google’s dominant control and its impact on businesses and consumers. Google has expressed concerns that the CMA’s proposals are "broad and unfocused" and warned that punitive regulations could hinder innovation and growth in the UK tech sector. The CMA emphasizes that these targeted interventions would promote fairer competition, greater consumer choice, and opportunities for innovation, with a final decision expected by October 2025. The move marks the first major regulatory action under the UK’s refreshed digital framework designed to curb the dominance of tech giants while fostering a competitive digital economy.