The UK competition watchdog has called on Google to “improve transparency and fairness” in its ranking of search results.
New Conduct Requirements for Google
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has also made a currently voluntary data sharing tool a legal requirement for the firm. Google has come under scrutiny from the regulator after it designated the technology giant with strategic market status in October last year over its dominance in the sector, accounting for more than 90% of searches in the UK.
On Wednesday, the CMA said its two fresh conduct requirements are intended to secure a “fairer deal” for firms and users.
Fair Ranking Mandate
The CMA has required Google to operate a “fair ranking” for its search results after the regulator said businesses claimed its “current ranking practices are neither fair nor transparent”. Firms also told the watchdog that Google makes changes “without sufficient notice” and highlighted that they do not have effective ways to raise concerns when changes impact their business.
As a result, Google must rank “organic” search results using objective and non-discriminatory criteria and be more transparent to firms about how its rankings work, the CMA said.
Data Sharing Tool Becomes Legal Requirement
A second conduct requirement means that a voluntary process already in place through Google’s UK Data Portability Application Programming Interface, which allows for data sharing, will become legally binding.
A Google spokesman said: “Our ranking systems are fair, transparent and show the most relevant, highest quality results. We are committed to protecting the integrity of our systems, and will work constructively with the CMA to ensure that we can uphold the high quality of Search for our users.”
Will Hayter, executive director for digital markets at the CMA, said: “Step by step, we’re ensuring that Google’s search services work better for businesses and consumers across the UK. Search is a vital gateway for businesses in the UK to reach customers, and clearer, predictable and more transparent ranking systems could give them greater scope to expand and invest. These new measures will ensure search results are ranked fairly and objectively, with clearer information about changes and effective routes to raise concerns.”
It comes two weeks after previous requirements on Google were laid out by the CMA. It enabled news groups and other online publishers to be able to choose not to appear in the AI Overviews of Google search results.
