Google search fair ranking conduct requirement

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has imposed a conduct requirement on Google, in relation to its general search services. 

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 17 June 2026

• Firm: Google
• Activity: Search
• Type: Conduct requirement
• State: Open
• Opened: 17 June 2026

Search all digital markets interventions imposed by the CMA.

Imposition of conduct requirement

17 June 2026: Following the CMA’s decision to designate Google as having strategic market status in respect of general search services and public consultation on proposed conduct requirements, the CMA has imposed the fair ranking conduct requirement (the fair ranking CR) on Google.

• Fair ranking CR final decision (PDF, 413KB) (17.6.26)
• Fair ranking CR notice (PDF, 150KB) (17.6.26)
• Fair ranking CR interpretative notes (PDF, 132KB) (17.6.26)
• Fair ranking CR compliance reporting notice (PDF, 158KB) (17.6.26)

The fair ranking CR requires Google to:

• rank organic search results based on objective and non-discriminatory criteria, including in search generative AI features
• provide transparency over how it ranks organic search results, and provide sufficient notice and information about material changes that could affect publishers and reduce avoidable costs
• enable publishers to effectively raise concerns about manual actions and material changes that may have a distortive or other adverse effect on UK markets

Our guide to the UK’s digital markets competition regime explains how conduct requirements work.

Published 17 June 2026