UK Antitrust Enforcers Challenge Google, Target Meta, Expand Investigations

Google, a dominant force in the global search engine market with over 79% share on desktop, is facing increasing antitrust scrutiny both in the United States and the United Kingdom. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has provisionally designated Google with "Strategic Market Status," potentially leading to mandates such as search engine choice screens and fairer ranking practices by the end of 2025. In the U.S., District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google monopolized the open web display advertising market through exclusionary conduct that harmed competitors, publishers, and consumers, signaling a significant legal challenge to its market dominance. These regulatory pressures come amid Google's expansive growth into AI, with products like AI summaries integrated into Google Search as part of its strategy to compete with other AI leaders. Despite these challenges, investors remain optimistic about Alphabet's long-term growth prospects, buoyed by robust core businesses including Google Cloud and YouTube. The ongoing antitrust actions are expected to reshape digital advertising and search engine ecosystems, promoting greater competition and fairness.