The Competition and Market Authority has launched a probe into Google to see if it needs to allow publishers greater influence over how their content is used in its search engine.

If its proposals are adopted, Google may have to change its search engine in the UK and hand more power back to publishers.

The competition watchdog has proposed to designate Google with 'strategic market status' under new Digital Markets Competition laws.

That would allow the CMA to introduce targeted measures to address specific aspects of how Google operates search services in the UK.

Search advertising is where an advertiser pays for its advert to appear next to the results from a user’s search. The investigation relates to Google’s general search and search advertising activities.

The CMA said potential actions it could take include:

• requiring choice screens for users to access different search providers;
• ensuring fair ranking principles for businesses appearing on Google search;
• more transparency and control for publishers whose content appears in search results;
• and portability of consumer search data to support innovation in new products and services.
• Google accounts for more than 90% of searches in the UK, while it is also used by more than 200,000 UK businesses to reach customers.

Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: “Google is the world’s leading search tool and plays an important role in all our lives, with the average person in the UK making five to 10 searches a day.

“It is equally critical for over 200,000 UK businesses which rely on Google to reach their customers. Google search has delivered tremendous benefits – but our investigation so far suggests there are ways to make these markets more open, competitive and innovative.”

The tech giant is the first company being targeted by the regulator under the new set of digital market laws. A final decision is set to be made by October following a consultation process.