British Regulator Investigates Google’s Power

A British regulator is investigating whether Google has such great power in the search engine market that the group must comply with special rules.

The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) reports that this should ensure sufficient competition in this market.

The investigation must show what impact Google’s position on the market for online searches and advertisements around searches has on British consumers and companies. More than 90 percent of all searches in the United Kingdom are done via Google.

The country’s competition authority is investigating, among other things, whether Google is erecting barriers for newcomers or competitors with an innovative product.

The CMA requests information from competition authorities investigating Google’s position in other countries. Last year, Google was designated as a ‘gatekeeper’ in the European Union with such excellent market power that consumers and entrepreneurs have difficulty bypassing its platforms, giving the American company additional obligations within the bloc.

In the United States, a judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly. US public prosecutors have called for the company’s break up behind the search engine, Android operating system and Chrome web browser.