CMA strengthens proposals allowing people choice over their search service

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today published strengthened proposals designed to give millions of Google Android and Google Chrome customers in the UK greater choice and more control over the search services they use.  

The updated proposals reflect rapid developments in how people across the UK are searching for information online, including the growing use of new services like ChatGPT and Perplexity. The CMA has also listened to feedback from publishers, search providers and consumer groups.  

Under the proposals Google would be required to:

Give Android and Chrome customers a choice of search services when they use their Android phone or open Chrome for the first time, followed by a prompt every year to choose the default provider they want to use

Allow AI assistants to be included where they meet the relevant criteria, including technical and security requirements

Make sure any search providers that feature on choice screens fairly attribute publisher content when used – meaning people can easily access source content and know where their search results have come from

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: 

The way people search for information online is changing, with new services creating fresh opportunities for innovation and competition. 

We’ve listened carefully to feedback and are responding quickly to the rise of AI assistants, which people are increasingly using as their search service, but aren’t included on Google’s choice screens. 

This is about future-proofing the options available to people in the UK so they can choose the search service they want as these come to market.