Google’s Search Empire Under Investigation by UK Competition Authority

London: So, it looks like Google is in hot water again. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority just announced they’re launching a probe into Google’s search business under new antitrust laws. This law is all about making sure companies play fair in the digital space.

They’re checking if Google has what they call “strategic market status.” If they do, it could mean some serious changes for how Google operates in the UK. The CMA wants to ensure that everyone, from regular users to businesses, gets a fair shake when it comes to search services.

CMA chief Sarah Cardell emphasized that they want to protect consumer choice and innovation. They’re also looking out for businesses, big and small, to make sure they can compete fairly. Google currently dominates the search market, handling over 90% of all search queries in the UK, which is a huge deal for advertisers and news publishers.

This isn’t just a one-off issue for Google. They’re already facing scrutiny in the US and Europe for their practices. Last year, a judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly on online search, and there’s talk about forcing them to sell off their Chrome browser to break that hold.

Google, for its part, says they’re committed to working with the CMA to make sure the new rules benefit everyone. But with all this pressure, it’s clear they’ve got a lot on their plate right now.