The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) imposed two legally binding conduct requirements on Google’s search services. These rules aim to ensure fairness for businesses and increase consumer choice.
Google must now use objective and non-discriminatory criteria to rank organic search results, including AI Overviews. The company must provide advance notice of significant ranking changes and establish a formal process for business concerns.
A second mandate requires Google to allow users to port search data to authorized third-party services, such as rewards platforms. This requirement places Google’s existing voluntary data portability tool on a legal footing to foster innovation.
Google has three months to comply with the data portability mandate. The company has six months to implement the fair ranking rules, with the CMA actively monitoring adherence.