The UK’s competition watchdog launched a formal antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, marking the latest probe into the US tech giant’s global dominance over online search.
The probe aims to assess whether the firm should be granted “strategic market status,” a move that would see it subject to certain rules or pro-competition interventions, such as giving publishers more control over how their data is used.
“It’s our job to ensure people get the full benefit of choice and innovation in search services and get a fair deal,” Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority, said.