The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated an investigation into Google regarding its dominance in search advertising. This marks the first instance of the CMA employing its new powers granted under the digital markets competition regime, which came into effect on January 1, 2025. This regulatory authority now has the ability to designate a company with “strategic market status,” enabling the imposition of conduct requirements or the proposal of pro-competition interventions.
This investigation into Google represents a significant development in how regulators are seeking to manage competition within digital markets. For more details about the investigation and the regulatory environment, you can read the full article here.