LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) – Britain’s competition watchdog ordered Google to provide greater transparency on how its search rankings work, part of new requirements aimed at securing “a fairer deal” for businesses and improving the U.S. tech giant’s services in the country.
The first requires Google to improve transparency and fairness in how search results are ranked, while the second requires Google to allow users to move their search data to authorised third parties, the Competition and Markets Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.
The regulator has flagged concerns about Google’s dominance in search, designating the company with “strategic market status”, which allows it to set targeted rules to increase transparency.
“These new measures will ensure search results are ranked fairly and objectively, with clearer information about changes and effective routes to raise concerns,” Will Hayter, the CMA’s Executive Director for Digital Markets, said in the statement.
It builds on existing conduct requirements for Google announced by the regulator earlier this month which enable publishers to stop their content being used to power the company’s AI features.
On Wednesday, the CMA said “more activity is expected over the summer”.
(Reporting by Muvija M; editing by Sarah Young)
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