CMA puts Google under tighter regulation with ‘strategic market status’ designation and can enforce changes
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Google faces enforced changes to its UK search business after the competition watchdog conferred a special status on the company that puts it under tighter regulation.
The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) confirmed that Google has “strategic market status” (SMS) in search and search advertising, a term that means the company has such market power that it requires a special regulatory regime.
The watchdog now has the power under new digital laws to order changes to how Google operates in those areas. Friday’s announcement is the first time it has designated a tech firm with SMS.
