Google search empire faces probe under new UK digital competition law

Google's Market Position and Regulatory Scrutiny - Google accounts for more than 90% of all general search queries in the UK and is used by more than 200,000 UK advertisers for search advertising, highlighting its dominant position in the search market [2] - The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Google's position in search and search advertising services to assess its impact on consumers, businesses, advertisers, news publishers, and rival search engines [2] - Google is the first company to face a probe under the UK's new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which could designate it as having "strategic market status" and subject it to stricter regulations [4] Regulatory Actions and Legal Challenges - The CMA's probe adds to Google's regulatory challenges, as it is already under intense antitrust scrutiny in the US and Europe regarding its practices in online search, digital advertising, and other business elements [3] - In the US, a judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly over online search and is expected to decide on remedies to address this by summer 2024 [3] - The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally requested the court to consider forcing Google to sell off its Chrome web browser as part of measures to break its market hold [6] - Google is also facing a separate DOJ trial targeting its digital advertising empire [6] Google's Response and Industry Impact - Google emphasizes that its search services support millions of UK businesses by helping them reach customers in innovative ways and that it will continue to engage constructively with the CMA to ensure new rules benefit all types of websites [7] - The CMA aims to ensure a level playing field for all businesses, including rival search engines, advertisers, and news organizations, to succeed in the digital market [5]