UK regulator enforces new competition requirements on Google search

Britain's competition regulator said on Wednesday it ​has imposed new conduct ​requirements on Google's search services, including allowing ​publishers to opt out of training the U.S. tech giant's AI models, as the watchdog ramps up its oversight.

The Competition and ‌Markets Authority ⁠has ⁠flagged concerns about Google's dominance in search services.

Google accounts for ​more than 90% of UK queries, and the regulator had been ​consulting on the matter to ensure effective competition.


The CMA on Wednesday said the requirements imposed on Google under the digital markets competition regime ⁠gave "publishers more ‌control and stronger bargaining power over the use of their content," while securing a fair ⁠deal.

Google did not immediately respond to a ​request for comment outside business hours.

The regulator ​said that the company will now also be required to make sure content from publishers, including news organisations, is properly attributed in AI‑generated search results, using clear links.

Google's search services have fallen into regulatory ‌scrutiny across the world, including in the United States and European Union, and the ​company in ​March said it ⁠was developing new search controls to address British competition concerns.

"Google has recently announced changes to its search business and ​the requirements we've introduced today are designed to respond to what Google is doing now and in the future," CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said in a statement.